background: despite the extensive information available in the literature, cell surface marker signature of human amniotic epithelial cells (haecs) remains controversial. the aim of the present study was to characterize immuno-phenotypic features, proliferative capacity and immunogenicity of haecs. we also tested whether expression of some cell surface markers is influenced by the type of tryps...

Human bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells have an important role in the repair of musculoskeletal tissues by migrating from the bone marrow into the injured site and undergoing differentiation. We investigated the use of autologous human serum as a substitute for fetal bovine serum in the ex vivo expansion medium to avoid the transmission of dangerous transfectants during clinical reconstruction...

Arsenic is a carcinogen with transplacental activity that can affect human skin stem cell population dynamics in vitro by blocking exit into differentiation pathways. Keratinocyte stem cells (KSC) are probably a key target in skin carcinogenesis. Thus, we tested the effects of fetal arsenic exposure in Tg.AC mice, a strain sensitive to skin carcinogenesis via activation of the v-Ha-ras transgen...

Mouse embryonic stem cells are continuous cell lines derived directly from the fetal founder tissue of the preimplantation embryo. They can be expanded in culture while retaining the functional attributes of pluripotent early embryo cells. In particular, they can participate fully in fetal development when reintroduced into the embryo. The capacity for multilineage differentiation is reproduced...

We exploited the ability to transduce fetal liver hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in situ with recombinant retrovirus, together with the ability to analyze proviral integration patterns into chromosomal DNA, to detect the cellular and organ fate of hematopoietic stem and progenitor-derived progeny in tissues and in the circulation of neonatal and adult rats. Two hundred seventeen fetuses we...

there is great interest worldwide in discovering and developing a permanent source of tissues which would be capable of generating any cell type and which would avoid the problem of transplant rejection. stem cells are cells that can specialize into the many different cells found in the human body. the ethical objections concerning stem cells have focused primarily on their source. human embryo...

Background Vitamin A-storing hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are mainly known for their contribution to fibrogenesis in chronic liver disease, but their identity and function in normal liver remained unclear. Since HSC possess stem/ progenitor cell characteristics [1] their contribution to stem cell-associated functions in the liver was investigated. Stem cell functions in the liver were reported ...

The equilibrium between proliferation and quiescence of myogenic progenitor and stem cells is tightly regulated to ensure appropriate skeletal muscle growth and repair. The non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase Ptpn11 (Shp2) is an important transducer of growth factor and cytokine signals. Here we combined complex genetic analyses, biochemical studies and pharmacological interference to demonstrate...

Expression of the CD4 antigen was observed on human fetal liver, fetal bone marrow (BM), and umbilical cord blood progenitors expressing high levels of CD34. Using clonal and liquid-culture assays, CD4+ CD34++ Lin- (lineage = CD3, CD8, CD10, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD20, and glycophorin A) fetal liver progenitors were found to have a greater proliferative potential than CD4- CD34++ Lin- progeni...