Anatomy, function, biomechanics, and regenerative properties of Wharton’s jelly in the umbilical cord

Figure 2 Regional heterogeneity in stemness features of Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells along the umbilical cord axis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from different parts of the umbilical cord tissue are functionally and molecularly heterogeneous. MSCs obtained from the placental-fetal segment exhibit higher proliferative potential and higher expression of stemness-associated genes, such as Nanog and SSEA-4, compared to MSCs obtained from the central part of the umbilical cord, which exhibit lower proliferative activity and lower stemness-associated gene expression. The scheme also presents the general procedure for MSC isolation from umbilical cord tissue, including enzymatic digestion and expansion of isolated MSCs. MSC: Mesenchymal stem cell.