Borys-Wójcik et al. Medical Journal of Cell Biology 2019 DOI: 10.2478/acb-2019-0002 Received: 06.03.2019 Accepted: 26.03.2019 Historical background of umbilical stem cell culture Sylwia Borys-Wójcik1 2 3, Sandra Knap3, Wojciech 4 5 1, Bartosz Kempisty1,3,6 , Małgorzata Józkowiak , Katarzyna Stefańska Pieńkowski , Paweł Gutaj , Małgorzata Bruska Abstract Umbilical cord is a waste material, and therefore does not raise ethical concerns related to its use for rese- arch and medicine. Stem cells from umbilical cord have a significant advantage over cells from other sour- ces. First, the umbilical cord is an infinite source of stem cells, because it can be taken theoretically during each delivery. Secondly, acquisition of umbilical cord is a non-invasive, safe procedure for mother and child. Thirdly, the transplantation of umbilical cord stem cells is associated with a lower risk of infection and a less-frequent “graft versus host” reaction. In this work, the authors present a historical background of rese- arch on the cell from its discovery to modern times characterized by highly advanced methods of obtaining stem cells from umbilical cord and from other sources. Running title: History of umbilical stem cell culture Keywords: umbilical stem cells, history of umbilical stem cells 1Department of Anatomy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland 2Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland 3Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland 4Division of Perinatology and Women’s Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland 5Department of Reproduction, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland 6 * Correspondence: [email protected] FullDepartment list of author of Obstetrics information and is Gynecology, available at University the end of Hospital article and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic 12 Borys-Wójcik et al. Medical Journal of Cell Biology (2019) Introduction The Twentieth Century The construction of living organisms has been - the subject of people’s interests since antiquity. In gist and histologist, attempted to breed nucleated the available literature one can find information redIn blood 1903, cells. Justin He Marrie was also Jolly, referencing a French hematolo the work were making various theories about the structure thanks to the breeding medium he developed, in- ofthat organisms. in the years Anaxagoras 500-428 fromBC, Greek Kladzom philosophers - an an- creasedof the German the size ofbotanist the cultured Gotlieb cells, Haberland, but did not who ob- cient atomist claimed that reality is built from mat- tain their multiplication. The blood cells cultured by ter consisting of immutable and infinite “seeds” and from self-governing reason, which was supposed to they gradually lost ability to cell divisions until total set in motion and cause connection and disconnec- arrestJustin Jollyfew monthsdivided afterfor the the first start 15 ofdays, cultivation after which [7]. tion of elements [1]. Beebe - zoologist and oceanographer, and ocean- The Seventeenth to Nineteenth Centuries In 1906, two American scientists, Charles William In 1665, Robert Hooke, an English naturalist, ob- to in vitro maintain a dog lymphosarcoma cells. served the existence of compartments in tissues, Theographer breakthrough James Ewing, moment made in ain successful vitro cell attemptculture describing the cell - the smallest functional and is considered to have occurred in 1907 [8]. In this structural unit of living organisms capable of car- - and anatomist, achieved success in in vitro culti- man scholars: zoologist - Theodor Schwann and vationyear, Ross of diverse Granville nerve Harrison, cells ofan theAmerican radial biologistnerve of rying out all life processes [2]. In 1839, two Ger amphibian embryos [9]. Harrison placed fragments cellular theory that all living organisms are made of the nervous tissue of the frog’s embryo in a drop ofbotanist cells. The- Matthias above theory Jacob Schleidenwas created put in forwardtwo stag a- of congealed lymph. This experiment showed that axons of nerve cells are formed from protrusions plant organisms were made of cells, and a year later that grow out of the body of nerve cells. Harrison Theodores. In 1838 Schwann Mattihas extended Jacob Schlieden the application stated that of the all also observed the movement of the cytoplasm from - the cell body to the protrusions [10]. During the mal cell [3,4]. The essence of in vitro cell culture is first observations, Harrison used frog cells, as they toGerman maintain botanist their byvital stating functions the existence outside theof an living ani were not hard to maintain in cells cultures. The frog organism [5]. Interest in the culture of cells, tissues is a cold-blooded animal, so its cells do not require and organs outside the body became the subject of incubation under constant conditions. In addition, interest of scientists shortly after the discovery of tissue regeneration is more effective in lower verte- brates. Therefore, Harrison supposed that the expe- - rience would have a greater chance of success than iologytheir existence. and topographic Carl Friedrich anatomy Wilhelmin 1856 developedLudwig - with the use of mammalian cells [11]. Ross Harri- techniquesGerman physician, of organ physiologist, perfusion after professor removing of physthem son is considered the creator of the methods used in from the body. The essence of the experiment was cell culture [1]. The American also developed a cell to pump blood through organs taken from the body. culture technique “in a hanging drop”. Then, thanks Three years later - in 1859, a French neurologist to cooperation with Montrose Thomas Burrows, a Edmé Félix Alfred Vulpian isolated fragments of surgeon and pathologist, he succeeded in develop- tadpole tail and attempted to breed them in water. ing a cell culture technique in a drop of clotted plas- ma placed on a microscope slide. Montorse Thom- their survival in water, did not reproduce. Howev- as Burrows began his collaboration with Harrison er,Cells the isolated experience by Edmé of the Félix French Alfred neurologist Vulpian, showeddespite that cell survival in vitro is possible [1]. Twenty-one Prize winner in physiology and medicine in 1912. years later, the English clinician Sidney Ringer con- thanks to Alexis Carrel, a French surgeon, Nobel ducted research on the work of the cardiac muscle by him to Harrison’s laboratory to learn about the of animals placed in 0.75% saline and the effect of Burrows, as an assistant to Alexis Carrel, was sent additional substances added to it (blood, albumin, Harrison’s techniques for research on warm-blood- potassium). The British researcher proved that it is edcell animals. culture techniques.Montorse Thomas Carell’s Burrowsgoal was hasto adoptbeen possible to survive the organs for a long time, pro- very successful during his cooperation with Haris- vided they are kept in a sodium chloride solution son. In 1910 he successfully established a tissue - culture of embryonic chicken cells [1]. After return- man embryologist Wilhelm Roux proved that it is possiblewith small to amountskeep the ofnerve potassium. plate obtained In 1885, from the Ger the a number of improvements to Harrison’s culture chicken embryo in a heated saline solution. Unfor- techniques.ing, Thomas These Burrows improvements and Alexis Carrel included, introduced among tunately, all attempts carried out resulted in a bac- other things, the use of a lymph instead of blood terial or fungal infection [6]. plasma and the addition of an extract from the em- 13 Borys-Wójcik et al. Medical Journal of Cell Biology (2019) bryo to the nutrient medium used for tissue culture. structed a device extremely helpful in conducting Improvements made by scientists have contributed long-term cell culture - the so-called roller tube. to, inter alia, improving the growth of tissue cul- From the late 1930s, the first reports on the thera- peutic use of umbilical cord blood were also made. with Burrows, successfully maintained cellular ex- About ten years later, antibiotics began to be used in tures. In the years 1911-1912 Carrel, in cooperation cell culture [12], and in 1948 the first synthetic cell cells became the subject of their further interest culture medium was developer [1]. [1]plants from cats, dogs, rats or guinea pigs. Cancer culture introducing a number of recommendations been a specific revolution in in vitro research. The . Alexis Carrel made a breakthrough in tissue The discovery of the HeLa tumor cell line has the collection of material and the establishment andfor aseptic maintenance culture of techniques. the culture Carrelshould assumed take place that in diagnosedHeLa line was with prepared cervical by cancer Elexis Carreland sent and Georgeto the accordance with the principles of antiseptics. The Gey. In 1951, tissues were removed from a patient place of operation should be a sterile box and the blood was then used as a cell culture medium. By tools used should be sterile. He also assumed the studyingTissue Culture the tumor Laboratory. cells obtained Human from umbilical the tumor cord the method of culture in a thrombus blood clot. He continuously and do not die. During the previous wasuse ofalso sterile the originator media. Alexis of cell Carrel culture also in aintroduced coagulum studies,(HeLa line), the Geycells noticed died after that a these few days cells of are culture dividing as formed by mixing embryo extract of chicken embry- os and plasma [12]. The experience of the French manyopposed scientific to the newly papers discovered have been HeLa published cells. Several on the of an embryonic extract and asepsis during cell cul- findingsstudies have [16]. been carried out using HeLa cells and tures,Nobel itPrize is possible winner to showed keep the that, cells thanks out of to the the body use - Maruyama took effective attempts to harvest stem lar and continuous passage of fibroblasts from the cellsMore from than the umbilicala decade vein. later, Maruyama a Japanese proposed scholar, ob- heartfor many of the years.