The Immunomodulatory Features of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Wharton’s Jelly, Amniotic Membrane and Chorionic Villi: In Vitro and In Vivo Data.

This chapter focuses on the immunomodulatory properties of placental mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from the amniotic membrane, umbilical cord, and chorionic villi. Within the amniotic membrane (AM), we discuss the immunomodulatory properties of the two main cell populations that can be isolated from AM: human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) and human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs). Within the umbilical cord, several compartments have been described, including the amniotic compartment, the Wharton’s jelly (WJ) compartment, and the vascular and perivascular compartment, but herein attention is focused on the properties of human WJ MSCs (hWJMSCs). Since different isolation protocols have been used, umbilical cord matrix stem cells, umbilical cord stromal cells, and human umbilical cord MSCs (herein hUCMSCs) were also included. This chapter also discusses the properties of human chorionic villi/placenta MSCs (hCVMSCs/hPLMSCs). The nomenclature of placental MSCs used in this chapter was chosen on the basis of consensus from the First International Workshop on Placenta-Derived Stem Cells for hAECs and hAMSCs (Parolini et al. 2008). Since different nomenclature is reported for the other placental MSCs, the following nomenclature is used: hWJMSCs/hUCMSCs for MSCs from WJ (and from umbilical cord where described isolation protocols include WJ) and hCVMSCs/hPLMSCs for MSCs from chorionic villi and the placenta/trophoblast compartment.