Research progress and prospect of application of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells

Investigation of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)has been growing in recent years.Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)can be isolated from bone marrow,adipose tissue,kidneys,and skin and various fetal tissues.They can differentiate into different tissues,including osteoblast,chondrocytes,adipocytes and nerve cells.Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(HUCMSCs)are a kind of stem cells characterized by the ability of self-renewal and the potential of multidirectional differentiation.Compared with MSCs of other sources,HUCMSCs have the advantage of easy availabiling,easy collection freedom from allograft rejection and ethical problems.In this article,biological characteristics,the advantages,and the application in clinical treatment of HUCMSCs are reviewed.