Aggregation-promoted expansion of neuraly committed human umbilical cord blood progenitors in vitro

Human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) has been established as a promising source of hematopoietic as well as various non- hematopoietic stem cell populations. This offers numerous advantages of HUCB stem/progenitor cells for therapies, however in vitro conditions that contribute to long term propagation of proliferating undifferentiated cells have not yet been established. Here we evaluate culture conditions promoting spheroid aggregates/neurospheres formation which, together with serum withdrawal and mitogenes treatments in strictly defined media, maintain population of HUCB progenitor cells in undifferentiated and dividing state exhibiting neurogenic potential in vitro. Our results indicate that formation and maintenance of three-dimensional aggregates enhanced by cell culture rotating motion, is crucial for high and prolonged expression of genes and proteins characteristic for cord blood stem cells and their further neural commitment.