Human Wharton's jelly stem cells (WJSC) were isolated from umbilical cord samples that were obtained immediately after full-term births. Cells express mesenchymal stem cell markers, and have osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacities.
Umbilical cords were washed, cut into small pieces and sectioned to expose the Wharton jelly below the amniotic membrane. Wharton's jelly samples were digested in collagenase type I and trypsin (0.5 g/L), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (0.2 g/L) solution to isolate cells, which were then cultured in Amniomax culture medium.