Minireviews
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World J Stem Cells. Jul 26, 2014; 6(3): 367-370
Published online Jul 26, 2014. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v6.i3.367
Umbilical cord fibroblasts: Could they be considered as mesenchymal stem cells?
Mustapha Zeddou, Biserka Relic, Michel G Malaise
Mustapha Zeddou, Biserka Relic, Michel G Malaise, Laboratory of Rheumatology, GIGA-I3, GIGA Research Centre, University and CHU of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Mustapha Zeddou, Laboratory of Physiology and Ethnopharmacology, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, University Mohamed I, BP 717, 60000 Oujda, Morocco
Author contributions: All authors contributed to this work.
Correspondence to: Mustapha Zeddou, PhD, Laboratory of Rheumatology, GIGA-I3, GIGA Research Centre, University and CHU of Liège, Clos Saint-Lambert, 4600 Liège, Belgium. mzeddou@gmail.com
Telephone: +32-476-612944 Fax: +32-4-3668855
Received: January 10, 2014
Revised: March 11, 2014
Accepted: May 16, 2014
Published online: July 26, 2014
Processing time: 190 Days and 19.1 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Umbilical cord matrix derived fibroblasts [umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC)] have gained importance in the last years. We have studied these cells and noticed some differences when compared with bone marrow-MSC in term of differentiation and phenotype. Other studies pointed out similar differences. Recently, some studies have doubted of the MSC nature of these cells. Starting from our own results and those from literature, we summarized in this minireview different studies that isolated and characterised UC-MSC. In the discussion we confronted the contradictory data about the differentiation and immunophenotype of UC-MSC and highlight what remains to be done to answer the question: are cord matrix isolated fibroblasts stem cells or not?