ABSTRACT
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have stimulated much interest in the scientific community and hopes among the general public since their discovery in 1966 due to a variety of potential applications it has in the field of regenerative medicine. Copious amount of literature, as well as long-term animal and human clinical trials, indicates that MSCs can be successfully used for therapeutic purpose without any extreme adversities. MSCs have been isolated from adult and fetal tissues. Recently, MSCs from placenta have generated much inquisitiveness. In this article, we will demonstrate the step-by-step procedure for isolating human placental MSCs from term placenta, reprogramming of placental MSCs into iPSCs using plasmid vectors, evaluation of functional recovery in mice spinal cord injury models, and in vivo tracking of the transplanted cells.