Obtainment, cultivation and expansion of stem cells from the yolk sac of pigs (Sus scrofa)

Abstract

Currently the theme of stem cell has been much discussed by these be able to recapitulate the development of tissue and repair injuries, birth defects and degenerative diseases. Because of its resemblance to the man, the pig has been used as a traditional model in some branches of human medicine, ranging from the supply of vital substances such as insulin, to organ donation. The expansion of porcine mesenchymal stem cells from sources different (bone marrow cells, teeth, placenta, peripheral blood, among others) has been well studied for their ability to self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation into multiple mesenchymal lineages in vitro. Fetal attachments such as umbilical cord, amniotic membrane and amniotic fluid have recently been suggested as an ideal source of various stem cell lineages, due to the non-invasive method for the isolation, the great mass of tissue for cell harvesting with high efficiency and potential of the differentiation. The yolk sac plays an important role in embryonic development of all mammals and is also the main source of nutrition of the embryo during the period in which the true placenta is not yet fully formed. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the cells of the yolk sac of pigs in order to cultivate and expand so that there is a possibility in future studies of isolation, differentiation and cell therapy applications of the same.