Feasibility of differentiating human umbilical cord blood stem cells into chondrocytes induced by rabbit chondrocytes / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Embryonic stem cells or bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells possess potential to treat cartilage defects, but the practicability is restricted by many factors. Therefore, it is significant to explore a new source of cells.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of differentiating human umbilical cord blood stem cells into chondrocytes. METHODS: Human mesenchymal stem cells was obtained from term delivered umbilical vein, labeled by BrdU, and co-cultured with rabbit chondrocytes using Transwell method. The harvested cells were identified by immunocytochemistrical analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The human umbilical cord blood stem cells were differentiated into chondrocytes under induction of rabbit chondrocytes, cytoplasm of which were stained into purple, and cellular nucleus was yellow stained with BrdU. The results revealed that human umbilical cord blood stem cells can in vitro differentiate into chondrocytes.