Neural phenotype expression of cultured human cord blood cells in vitro

Neural stem cells have been proposed as useful vectors for treating disease s in the CNS, but their utility is severely limited by lack of accessibilit y. Brain development is ongoing extensively in early postnatal life. Howeve r, it is unclear whether stem cells that differentiate into neurons exist i n the blood during early postnatal life. We showed in this experiment that neural markers (NeuN, neurofilament, MAP2, GFAP) are expressed and long cyt oplasmic processes are elaborated in the cultured human cord blood monocyte s prepared from newborn umbilical blood. These results suggest that stem ce lls in human cord blood may be potential sources of neurons in early postna tal life. We suggest that the neonatal blood system functions as a circulat ing pool of different types of stem cell. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wi lkins.