ISOLATION AND CULTURE-EXPANSION METHODS OF MESENCHYMAL STEM/PROGENITOR CELLS FROM UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD, AND DIFFERENTIATION METHOD OF UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD-DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STEM/PROGENITOR CELLS INTO VARIOUS MESENCHYMAL TISSUES

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for the isolation and cultivation of mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells from umbilical cord blood, and also to a method for the differentiation of the umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells into various mesenchymal tissues. The method comprises the steps of: overlaying umbilical cord blood onto Ficoll-Hypaque solution; centrifuging the umbilical cord blood on the Ficoll-Hypaque solution to obtain a mononuclear cell layer; reacting cells obtained by monolayer culture of the mononuclear cells with antibodies to mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell-specific antigens for a predetermined period of incubation time; isolating only cells bound to their corresponding antibodies using a cell sorter; and cultivating the isolated cells, thereby obtaining mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells with high purity and excellent viability. The mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells of the present invention are capable of differentiating into various mesenchymal tissues including chondrocytes and osteoblasts. Thus, the method of cell isolation and cultivation according to the present invention allows mass production of the mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells, and the cells obtained by the present invention are useful in the renewal and treatment of injured mesenchymal tissues.