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Optimization of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell isolation and culture methods

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Abstract

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) are considered to be an ideal replacement for bone marrow MSCs. However, up to date, there is no convenient and efficient method for hUCMSC isolation and culture. The present study was carried out to explore the modified enzyme digestion for hUCMSC in vitro. Conventional enzyme digestion, modified enzyme digestion, and tissue explant were used on hUCMSCs to compare their efficiencies of isolation and culture, to observe primary cell growth and cell subculture. The results show that the cells cultured using the tissue explant method had a longer culture cycle (P < 0.01) and lower yield of primary cells per centimetre of umbilical cord (P < 0.01) compared with the two enzyme digestion methods. Subculture adherence and cell doubling took significantly less time with the tissue explant method (P < 0.05) than with the conventional enzyme digestion method; however, there was no significant difference between the tissue explant method and the modified enzyme digestion method (P > 0.05). Comparing two enzyme digestion methods, the modified method yielded more cells than did the conventional method (P < 0.01), and primary cell adherence took significantly less time with the modified method than with the conventional method (P < 0.05). Cell cycle analysis of the third-generation hUCMSCs cultured by modified enzyme digestion method indicated that most cells were quiescent. Immunofluorescence staining showed that these cells expressed MSC markers CD44 and CD90. And Von Kossa and oil red O staining detection showed that they could be differentiated into osteoblasts and adipocytes with induction medium in vitro. This study suggests that hUCMSC isolation and culture using 0.2 % collagenase II at 37 °C for digestion of 16–20 h is an effective and simple modified enzyme digestion method.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the National Health Public Welfare Special Scientific Research Foundation of China (200802066), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation special fund project (201104777), Capital Medical University basic-clinical medical research cooperation project (12JL81), National Natural Science Foundation of China (81101423), and Military Medical Science and Technology Research Project of “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” of China (CWS11J111).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100038, People’s Republic of China

    Yan-Fu Han, Guang Xu & Jing Liu

  2. Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Burns Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100048, People’s Republic of China

    Yan-Fu Han, Tian-Jun Sun & Jia-Ke Chai

  3. Department of Plastic Surgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China

    Ran Tao

  4. Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Burns Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, No. 51 Fucheng Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100037, China

    Jia-Ke Chai

Authors
  1. Yan-Fu Han
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  2. Ran Tao
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  3. Tian-Jun Sun
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  4. Jia-Ke Chai
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  5. Guang Xu
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  6. Jing Liu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jia-Ke Chai.

Additional information

Yan-Fu Han, Ran Tao, Tian-Jun Sun have been contributed equally to this work.

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Han, YF., Tao, R., Sun, TJ. et al. Optimization of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell isolation and culture methods. Cytotechnology 65, 819–827 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-012-9528-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-012-9528-0

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