Comparison of Human Umbilical Cord Perivascrular Cells and Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Proliferative and Multilineage Differentiation Potential

INTRODUCTION: Bone marrow (BM) represents the most common source of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for cell-based therapies, including bone repair. However, due to the limited number of MSCs available in BM for autogenous use, the concern over immune rejection from allogeneic donors, and the possibility of donor site morbidity, there is a need to identify alternative MSC sources. A potential alternative source of MSC-like cells is the connective tissue (Wharton’s Jelly) of human umbilical cord (UC), specifically human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) [1]. The present work is focused on the comparison of the proliferative and multilineage differentiation capacity of HUCPVCs with adult human BM-derived MSCs to demonstrate the potential of HUCPVCs as a candidate source of stem cells for cell-based therapeutic strategies.