Comparison of Biological Characteristics of Human Urine-Derived Stem Cells and Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells

HU Chaoqun^1,2, FANG Shuyu², GONG Mengjia², BI Yang², HE Yun^1,2*

(¹Department of Neonatal Gastrointestinal Surgery , Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders (Chongqing), China International Science and Technology Cooperation base of Child development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, China; ²Stem Cell Biology and Therapy Laboratory, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, China)

Abstract:

The aim of the research was to investigate and compare the biological characteristics of hUSCs (human urine-derived stem cells) and hUC-MSCs (human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells). hUSCs and hUCMSCs were isolated and cultured. The cell morphology was observed under microscope. Flow cytology was used to detect the stem cell surface markers. The proliferation ability was detected by trypan blue staining and colony formation assay. The migration ability was detected by wound-healing assay and transwell migration assay, ALP (alkaline phosphatase) staining, alizarin red staining, oil red O staining and alcian blue staining were performed to evaluate the multi-directional differentiation potential. hUSCs were rice-like adherent growth cells. hUC-MSCs were long spindle-shaped adherent cells which showed a spiral-like growth. The phenotypic analysis of the two cells was similar, both of the cells expressed multiple mesenchymal stem cell markers, but CD24 was positively expressed in hUC-MSCs while CD105 was positively expressed in hUSCs. The proliferation and migration ability of hUC-MSCs was superior to that of hUSCs, but the latter had stronger clonality. Both hUSCs and hUC-MSCs had the ability of osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. The osteogenesis ability of hUC-MSCs is stronger, while the adipogenic ability of hUSCs is stronger. We successfully isolated and cultured hUSCs with strong proliferative capacity and multi-directional differentiation potential. Compared with hUC-MSCs, hUSCs have similar biological characteristics and can be used as an ideal seed cell source for autologous transplantation in regenerative medicine.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2020.02.0009