Placenta
Volume 31, Issue 3 , Pages 203-212, March 2010

Mesenchymal stem cells in human placental chorionic villi reside in a vascular Niche

  • N.M. Castrechini

      Affiliations

    • Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Perinatal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital Locked Bag 300, Cnr. Grattan St. and Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • ,
  • P. Murthi

      Affiliations

    • Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Perinatal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital Locked Bag 300, Cnr. Grattan St. and Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • ,
  • N.M. Gude

      Affiliations

    • Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Perinatal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital Locked Bag 300, Cnr. Grattan St. and Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • ,
  • J.J.H.M. Erwich

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Groningen, PO BOX 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • S. Gronthos

      Affiliations

    • Division of Haematology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science/ Hanson Institute, Adelaide 5000, SA, Australia
    • ,
  • A. Zannettino

      Affiliations

    • Division of Haematology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science/ Hanson Institute, Adelaide 5000, SA, Australia
    • ,
  • S.P. Brennecke

      Affiliations

    • Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Perinatal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital Locked Bag 300, Cnr. Grattan St. and Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • ,
  • B. Kalionis

      Affiliations

    • Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Perinatal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital Locked Bag 300, Cnr. Grattan St. and Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Perinatal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital Locked Bag 300, Cnr. Grattan St. and Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Tel.: +61 3 83453748; fax: +61 3 83453746.

Accepted 8 December 2009. published online 08 January 2010.

Abstract 

The chorionic villi of human term placentae are a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs). The stem cell “niche” within the chorionic villi regulates how PMSCs participate in placental tissue generation, maintenance and repair, but the anatomic location of the niche has not been defined. A number of cell surface markers for phenotypic characterisation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were employed to identify the stem cell niche within the chorionic villi of first trimester and term human placenta. This included antibodies to pericyte cell surface markers STRO-1 and 3G5, which have been used to identify mesenchymal stem cells in other tissues, but have not been studied in placental tissues. PMSCs were isolated from term human placentae and shown to have stem cell properties by their ability to grow on untreated plastic culture ware, capacity for forming clones (i.e. clonogenicity) and their capability to differentiate into adipocytes, chondrocytes and osteocytes. Western analysis confirmed that STRO-1 and 3G5 are present in placental protein extracts and in PMSCs. Immunocytochemistry revealed PMSCs were positive for MSC cell surface markers (STRO-1, 3G5, CD105, CD106, CD146, CD49a, α-SMA) and negative for haematopoietic stem cell markers (CD117, CD34) and endothelial markers (CD34, vWF). Immunohistochemistry with antibodies to MSC cell surface markers on first trimester and term tissues revealed a vascular niche for PMSCs. Dual-label immunofluorescence analysis was used to compare STRO-1 antibody staining with that of endothelial cell marker vWF and found no significant overlap in staining. This indicated that some PMSCs have a pericyte-like phenotype. We propose that the vascular niche harbours a pool of PMSCs that can give rise to committed progenitors for tissue maintenance and repair, and that PMSCs contribute to vessel maturation and stabilization.

Keywords: Stem cells, Chorionic villi, Mesenchymal, Vascular niche

 

PII: S0143-4004(09)00396-8

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.12.006

Placenta
Volume 31, Issue 3 , Pages 203-212, March 2010

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