Historical background of umbilical stem cell culture

Exploitation of In Vivo-Emulated In Vitro System in Advanced Food Science

Reasonable model construction contributes to the accuracy of experimental results. Multiple in vivo models offer reliable choices for effective evaluation, whereas their applications are hampered due to adverse features including high time-consumption, high cost and ethical contradictions. In vivo-emulated in vitro systems (IVE systems) have experienced rapid development and have been brought into food science for about two decades. IVE systems' flexibly gathers the strengths of in vitro and in vivo models into one, reflecting the results in an efficient, systematic and interacted manner. In this review, we comprehensively reviewed the current research progress of IVE systems based on the literature published in the recent two decades. By categorizing the IVE systems into 2D coculture models, spheroids and organoids, their applications were systematically summarized and typically exemplified. The pros and cons of IVE systems were also thoroughly discussed, drawing attention to present challenges and inspiring potential orientation and future perspectives. The wide applicability and multiple possibilities suggest IVE systems as an effective and persuasive platform in the future of advanced food science.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells Derived from Human and Animal Perinatal Tissues-Origins, Characteristics, Signaling Pathways, and Clinical Trials

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are currently one of the most extensively researched fields due to their promising opportunity for use in regenerative medicine. There are many sources of MSCs, of which cells of perinatal origin appear to be an invaluable pool. Compared to embryonic stem cells, they are devoid of ethical conflicts because they are derived from tissues surrounding the fetus and can be safely recovered from medical waste after delivery. Additionally, perinatal MSCs exhibit better self-renewal and differentiation properties than those derived from adult tissues. It is important to consider the anatomy of perinatal tissues and the general description of MSCs, including their isolation, differentiation, and characterization of different types of perinatal MSCs from both animals and humans (placenta, umbilical cord, amniotic fluid). Ultimately, signaling pathways are essential to consider regarding the clinical applications of MSCs. It is important to consider the origin of these cells, referring to the anatomical structure of the organs of origin, when describing the general and specific characteristics of the different types of MSCs as well as the pathways involved in differentiation.

Women's attitude towards umbilical cord blood banking in Poland

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is considered as a valuable potential source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. A process of collecting and storing UCB in the immediate period after the birth is called UCB banking. The study was conducted in order to determine women's knowledge, awareness, preferences and attitude towards UCB banking in Poland, considering the sociodemographic and obstetric factors. A cross-sectional, self-administered, online questionnaire-based study including mostly multiple choice questions concerning attitude and awareness regarding UCB banking was conducted entirely online among Facebook female users in Poland. A total of 1077 participants correctly completed the survey. Most participants (n = 911, 84.6%) were aware of the possibility of UCB banking. Social media were considered as the main source of information (47.5%). However, the participants mostly indicated the doctor as their preferred source of reliable information (86.8%). The majority of women (61.8%) assessed their level of knowledge of UCB banking as still insufficient. Among the participants who supported UCB banking (70%), the following reasons were considered as the most vital: potential possibility of helping their child (93.9%) and helping other relatives (64.4%). More than half of the respondents (66.9%), who have not stored and are not willing to store their children's UCB, indicated the high cost of UCB banking as the main reason of this decision. The knowledge and awareness of UCB storage and banking possibilities amongst women in Poland could be improved. The professional medical personnel should be a source of reliable information.

Changes in Knowledge about Umbilical Cord Blood Banking and Genetic Tests among Pregnant Women from Polish Urban and Rural Areas between 2010-2012 and 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge of umbilical cord blood (UBC) banking and prenatal genetic diagnosis among pregnant women from rural and urban areas, and how this knowledge changed within a five-year period. A survey by questionnaire was conducted between 2010 and 2012, and in 2017 in public hospitals; the study population comprised 6128 women, with 2797 patients from the years 2010-2012 and 3331 from the year 2017. 41% of the studied population declared that they were living in rural areas. In the 2010-2012 period, fewer women from rural areas knew about UBC banking. In 2017 that same relative difference in knowledge persisted, but the percentage of women who now knew about this procedure rose significantly in both studied groups. Prenatal diagnosis was more familiar for urban inhabitants both in 2010 and 2017 but as with the UBC data, a trend of growing awareness was also seen in pregnant women from rural areas. Knowledge of new techniques such as UBC banking and genetic tests has grown among pregnant women during the time frame of our study, but there is still a need to emphasize the benefits of these two possibilities to pregnant women, especially among rural inhabitants.