Phenotypic analysis of human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells are promising tools for clinical application in regenerative medicine due to their unique properties. Owing to their plasticity, mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human placental tissues have become a useful alternative to those derived from bone marrow. Although the multipotency of these placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells is comparable to that of bone marrow-derived cells, those from different placental compartments display variable plasticity. Detailed phenotypic analyses are required to fully characterize stem cell populations isolated from distinct tissue sources. Here, we characterized a population of embryonic stem cell-like progenitor cells from placental chorionic villi. In addition to fulfilling the criteria for mesenchymal stem cells, these also expressed several embryonic stem cell biomarkers, including Oct-3/4, Sox-2, and TRA-1-81. Expression of these biomarkers was consistent among different colonies and increased through culture with the exception for ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2). To determine whether ABCG2 represented a marker for cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties, we analyzed ABCG2⁺ and ABCG2⁻colonies and determined the differentiation potential of populations expanded from these colonies; however, no significant differences were observed. Thus, multipotent mesenchymal stem cells from human placental chorionic villi possess embryonic stem cell-like features and could be clinically useful.