Derivation of Patient Specific Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Clinically Discarded Cumulus Cells

PLoS One. 2016 Nov 1;11(11):e0165715. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165715. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are powerful tools for basic and translational research, as well as regenerative medicine. In routine human in vitro fertilization (IVF) practices, cumulus cells (CCs) are discarded, representing a potential source of biological materials for regenerative medicine. In this study, we derived patient-specific iPSCs using CCs from human infertility clinics for the first time. The human cumulus cell derived iPSCs (hc-iPSCs) were characterized for growth, karyotype, expression of pluripotency genes, and were subjected to embryoid bodies (EBs) and teratoma assays to evaluate their differentiation capacity. Hc-iPSCs display typical iPSC characteristics, and are capable of differentiating into all germ layers in vitro and in vivo. We further show that putative primordial germ cell like cells (PGCLCs) can be derived using hc-iPSCs. Our data demonstrate the feasibility of deriving patient-specific pluripotent stem cells using CCs.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Chromosomes, Human, X / genetics
  • Cumulus Cells / cytology*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Germ Layers / cytology
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grants from Yupintang Traditional Chinese Medicine Foundation (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) and Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (Grant Number 104-2313-B-002-035-MY3 to L.Y. Sung, 104-2314-B-195-012 to C.H. Lu and 104-2811-B-002-071 to W.F. Chang). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.