Neonatal stromal cells from umbilical cord blood (CB) are promising alternatives to bone marrow- (BM-) derived multipotent\r\nstromal cells (MSCs). In comparison to BM-MSC, the less mature CB-derived stromal cells have been described as a cell population\r\nwith higher differentiation and proliferation potential that might be of potential interest for clinical application in regenerative\r\nmedicine. Recently, it has become clear that cord blood contains different stromal cell populations, and as of today, a clear distinction\r\nbetween unrestricted somatic stromal cells (USSCs) and CB-MSC has been established. This classification is based on the\r\nexpression of DLK-1, HOX, and CD146, as well as functional examination of the adipogenic differentiation potential and the\r\ncapacity to support haematopoiesis in vitro and in vivo. However, a marker enabling a prospective isolation of the rare cell populations\r\ndirectly out of cord blood is yet to be found. Further analysis may help to reveal even more subpopulations with different\r\nproperties, which could be useful for the directed application of these cells in preclinical models.
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