AMELIORATIVE POTENTIALS OF STEM CELLS FROM HUMAN UMBILICAL CORD: A REVIEW

Aswathi V.*, Arathi Saji, Kavitha G., Greeshma John and Elessy Abraham

ABSTRACT

Stem cells have the potential to treat an enormous range of diseases and conditions that plague millions of people around the world. MSCs originate in the human embryo are considered multipotent stem cells. UC is considered as medical waste and the collection is noninvasive; has not been encumbered with ethical problems. There is no pain or risk for the mother or baby in extracting the blood from the umbilical cord, and the collection process is easily performed at the same time. Stem cell research has the potential to treat birth defects. An understanding of the regulation and chemical triggers of stem cell proliferation and differentiation are key to addressing birth defects. Additional research is needed to explore the therapeutic merits of cell transplantation techniques while accepting the likelihood that possible adverse side effects may occur. Therefore, improvements in specific isolation, purification and immune characterization of hUC-MSCs may facilitate clinical application.

Keywords: MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells), UC(umbilical cord), hUC-MSCs (human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells).