Placental stem cells: biological characteristics and approaches to clinical application

Abstract

Literary data gives evidence that placenta is a rich source of stem cells that phenotypically correspond to human mesenchymal stem cells. The possibility of osteogenic and hepatogenic differentiation of placental mesenchymal stem cells was reported as well as their transformation into cardiomyocytes, adipocytes was shown. It was established that mesenchymal stem cells of placenta have the highest potential of osteogenic differentiation compared to the stem cells from other sources. The advantages of placental stem cells towards clinical application are ethical feasibility and non-invasive collection, high proliferative potential and immunomodulatory properties.