Perinatal tissues possess numerous types of stem (stromal) cells, which are considered effective candidates for cell therapy. These tissues possess common characteristics of both embryonic and adult stem cells, and cell therapists have begun to use perinatal stem cells to treat several diseases. Despite their benefits, these cells are considered biological waste and usually discarded after delivery. This review highlights the characteristics and potential clinical applications in regenerative medicine of perinatal stem cell sources - cord blood hematopoietic stem cells, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, amniotic membrane stem cells, amniotic fluid stem cells, amniotic epithelial cells and chorionic mesenchymal stem cells.
Keywords: amniotic epithelial cells; amniotic mesenchymal stem cells; chorionic mesenchymal stem cells; cord blood hematopoietic stem cells; cord mesenchymal stem cells; perinatal stem cells; stem cell therapy.