From trash to treasure – Regenerative potential of placental tissue

Abstract

The human placenta is a fetomaternal organ involved in nutrition, waste elimination and gas exchange between the mother and her developing fetus. In the recent years, it has gained popularity as an organ of immense regenerative potential. Thus, cells and tissues isolated from placentae, are being used for a multitude of clinical applications. As such there are 3 main entities that can be harvested from a term placenta which is usually discarded following delivery. Most research published in this area focuses on two main cell types mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from various parts of the placenta and epithelial cells isolated from amniotic membrane and the amniotic membrane by itself for its numerous biological properties. The two cell types show phenotypic plasticity and lineage specific differentiation potential. The aim of this review is to provide clinicians an insight to the regenerative capacity of cells and tissues of placental origin and to summarize their current clinical applications.