Mesenchymal cells are a component of many different tissues, including umbilical cord blood (UCB) the tissue of the umbilical cord, bone marrow (BM) and adipose tissue (AT). During the last decade, there has been much interest in this type because of its regenerative properties of the cells.
Mesenchymal cells are able to suppress the immunological rejection of transplanted cells and the autoimmune reaction that causes diabetes type 1. The mesenchymal cells are also capable of secreting important factors which can stimulate the body's ability to repair itself. mature mesenchymal cells are derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are in the UCB, BM and AT. Studies have determined that MSCs can be induced to produce bone, muscle and chondrocytes (tendons) and some studies have also indicated neuronal cells. Although the MSC of different tissues appear to have identical properties, there are differences in their ability to proliferate and the efficiency in which they produce different types of cells.
This is important when considering the therapeutic potential of MSC. For example, some studies have indicated that MSCs are harvested less efficiently UCB but they proliferate the best results for use in sufficient cells for cell-based therapy. UCB-MSC can produce bone cells and chondrocytes, but were not able to form fat cells. Interestingly, in other studies, UCB-MSC could form neural cells. For cell therapy to be successful with enough cells for treatment is very important. In the case of the company UCB-MSC therapeutic value will be in their ability to modulate the immune system and to trigger the cells in the damaged or diseased tissue to undergo repair. The UCB-MSC ability to proliferate them as a possible source of new bone, muscle tissue and chondrocytes did.