New Source of Stem Cells Discovered in Umbilical Cord.

Researchers at Kansas State University have discovered that special tissue found in umbilical cords may be a rich source of stem cells. Results of a study published in the online version of the journal Stem Cells indicate that the tissue known as "Wharton's jelly" can be differentiated into various types of cells, which could make the unethical use of embryonic stem cells unnecessary.

"One of the really exciting things is that these are not embryonic stem cells," study co-author Mark Weiss, associate professor of anatomy and physiology, told the Kansas State Collegian. "They are postnatal - - no fetuses were harmed."

Wharton's jelly, named after British physician Thomas Wharton who discovered it in the mid-1600s, protects blood vessels in the umbilical cord and gives the cord "resiliency and pliability," according to AScribe Newswire. The Kansas State researchers suggest that primitive stem cells may settle in the umbilical cord as the embryo develops.

"Our results show that Wharton's jelly cells are easily attainable and can be expanded in vitro, maintained in culture, and induced to differentiate into neural cells," the report states. "They are a potential source of multipotent stem cells that may serve many therapeutic and biotechnological roles."

The researchers began by testing umbilical cord cells from pigs. The cells were placed in culture and coaxed to propagate, or grow. The Wharton's jelly cells successfully grew over the course of ...