Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (UC-MSC)

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) are multipotent cells isolated from umbilical cord tissue, such as Wharton's jelly, which exhibit potent immunomodulatory and regenerative capabilities (Nagamura-Inoue & He, 2014). These cells are characterized by the expression of surface markers CD73, CD90, and CD105, and the absence of hematopoietic markers like CD34 and CD45 (Dominici et al., 2006). UC-MSCs exert their therapeutic effects through both paracrine signaling—releasing factors like prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), and various interleukins—and direct cell-to-cell contact with immune cells (Gao et al., 2016). They are widely studied for their ability to suppress overactive immune responses in conditions such as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (Can et al., 2017). Furthermore, their low immunogenicity and high expansion potential make them an attractive off-the-shelf therapeutic option in regenerative medicine (Ding et al., 2015).

Other names

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cellWharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cellWJ-MSCUC-MSC

UC-MSCs function through the secretion of soluble paracrine factors (e.g., TGF-β, IL-10, PGE2, IDO) and direct cell-to-cell contact (e.g., PD-L1, FasL) to modulate the activity of T-cells, B-cells, NK cells, and macrophages, thereby suppressing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration (Gao et al., 2016; Nagamura-Inoue & He, 2014).