Does gestational diabetes affect the therapeutic potential of umbilical cord-derived stem cells?

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) Multipotent cells isolated from the human umbilical cord, called mesenchymal stromal cells, have shown promise for use in cell therapy to treat a variety of human diseases. However, intriguing new evidence shows that mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from women with gestational diabetes demonstrate premature aging, poorer cell growth, and altered metabolic function, as reported in an article in Stem Cells and Development.