Isolation, Proliferation, and Identification of Human Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hWJMSCs)

Abstract

In this research, we compared the biological characteristics and therapeutic potential of “human Wharton's jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hWJMSCs)” isolated from various anatomical regions of the umbilical cord.". Cells were isolated from maternal, middle, and fetal segments of “umbilical cords” (n = 6) of six healthy donors who underwent elective cesarean delivery and systematically compared. Several analyses were used to characterize the cells, including growth kinetics, immunophenotyping, gene expression profiling, and differentiation potential assessment. Results showed substantial segment-specific variations, with yields and characteristics of “hWJMSCs” obtained from “maternal and fetal segments” superior to middle segment. Enhanced proliferation rates (population doubling times of 1.02 ± 0.09 and 1.21 ± 0.2 days compared with 1.86 ± 0.12 days), increased cell viability, and stronger expression of stemness markers and differentiation potential were observed in these cells.

On the other hand, reduced HLA-ABC expression in maternal and fetal segments indicates perhaps improved immune privilege. This research reveals strong evidence that the anatomical origin of “hWJMSCs” from the umbilical cord remarkably impacts biological characteristics and cytotherapeutic potential. Implications of these findings for regenerative medicine are significant and suggest that targeted harvesting from maternal and fetal segments has the potential to enhance therapeutic efficacy. This research lays the groundwork for standardizing cell-sourcing protocols and has implications for advancing cell-based therapy.