Tissue Preservation, Life care and Biobanking (B2B & Networking)

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with the capacity for differentiation. Amniotic fluid cells have emerged only recently as a possible source of stem cells for clinical purposes. There are no ethical or sampling constraints for the use of amniocentesis as a standard clinical procedure for obtaining an abundant supply of amniotic fluid cells. Amniotic fluid cells of human origin proliferate rapidly and are multipotent with the potential for expansion in vitro to multiple cell lines. Tissue engineering technologies that use amniotic fluid cells are being explored. Amniotic fluid cells may be of clinical benefit for fetal therapies, degenerative disease, and regenerative medicine applications. They may be a useful resource for evaluating pharmacological effects on human cells. We present our studies using flow cytometry and cell culture as well as genomic data to characterize human amniotic fluid-derived stem cells. In addition, we offer a review of the evolution of human amniotic fluid cells as a possible modality for therapeutic use.