RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Placenta is a valuable source of stem cells for cell therapy and future application in the field of regenerative medicine. This is due to the plasticity and the immunomodulatory effects of the stem cells that it contains. In this study we present a totally closed method for hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic stem cell isolation from human term placenta. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixty-eight placenta units were collected and manipulated for the residual fetal blood drainage. After delivery, placenta flushing with citrate-phosphate-dextrose-adenine was evaluated. RESULTS: Placenta flushing using a totally closed system led to a significant amount of hematopoietic progenitor cells and multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) without additional microbial risk, free of maternal cell contamination. CONCLUSION: Traditionally discarded after childbirth, the term placenta now appears to be an easily accessible and abundant source of diverse origin stem cells suitable for banking strategies and for future clinical applications, including adult therapy.