Celgene Corporation Reports Pluripotent Stem Cells Isolated From Placenta
Celgene Corporation announced that human placenta-derived stem cells that are "pluripotent", or have the ability to become different types of tissue, can be isolated with a proprietary perfusion technology from placentas so they are available for potential treatment applications, according to Qian Ye, PhD, Senior Scientist, at Celgene Cellular Therapeutics.
The objective of the study was to use a proprietary perfusion method to recover pluripotent stem cells from human placenta after birth, culture them, and characterize the cells from a surface marker and differentiation perspective. The study used human placentas that were donated to LifebankUSA following the birth of normal, full-term pregnancies. Through a unique proprietary process that anatomically perfuses the placenta, mononucleated cells were obtained, purified, and cultured. Fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis was used for cell surface marker characterization, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for gene expression analysis.
Within two to four weeks, adherent cells with fibroblast-like morphology could be grown from the placenta perfusate culture. Morphologic examination and quantitative gene analysis showed that these cells express morphologic features and a gene transcript that are the hallmark of primitive stem cells. Under certain culture conditions, these cells were transformed into cartilage-like and fat-like tissue.
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