The observation that human amniotic fluid contains mesenchymal stem cells has led to much research and advancement in the field of stem cell research. Harvesting of stem cells from amniotic fluid lacks some of the ethical concerns associated with the use of embryonic stem cells. Research is needed to discover therapeutic uses and treatments using stem cells derived from amniotic fluid.

Presence of Stem Cells in Amniotic Fluid

In the early 1990s, it was first reported that amniotic fluid contained undifferentiated cells with therapeutic potential. In 1999, Mosquera et al. demonstrated that amniotic fluid cells possessed pluripotent properties. This discovery was a milestone in the field of amniotic-fluid stem cell research. In 2003, Anker et al. demonstrated for the first time the presence of mesenchymal stem cells ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles