ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the clinical potential of placenta-derived cells in regenerative medicine, specifically in neurological disorders. Human amniotic epithelial cells and human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells express multipotency, low immunogenicity, and inflammation suppression capabilities. Cells from placental origins have shown exceptional promise for use in cell therapy for the treatment of many diseases. One group studied the potential of cells derived from the human amniotic membrane to differentiate into hepatocytes. They observed glycogen storage, a pivotal role of hepatocytes, by using periodic acid-Schiff staining of amniotic membrane cells. The specific use of amnion cells for targeting inflammation is of particular interest given the nature of stroke as an inflammation-associated disease and lack of treatment options currently available for the disease. Amnion cells should aid in the proinflammatory beneficial effects in the acute stages of brain insult, and also should facilitate the anti-inflammatory effects at the later stage of the disease.
