Placental Stem Cells

• 
  Deputy Head of Research, Director Head of the Stem Cell Laboratory
  Dr Bill Kalionis

  bill.kalionis@thewomens.org.au  

  View researcher's webpage

  +61 3 8345 3748

Project Details

Stem cells have been isolated also from a variety of adult and embryonic sources. Currently, stem cells for research are taken from the umbilical cords of newborn babies, bone marrow of children or adults, or aborted fetuses, or discarded test-tube embryos.

However, these sources have a number of limitations. Umbilical cord blood contains only small numbers of stem cells and extraction of bone marrow requires a painful needle and a very close match between donor and recipient to prevent rejection. Moreover, the use of embryos and fetal tissue as stem cell sources is extremely contentious.

Recently, the placenta has been shown to be a plentiful, non-controversial source of stem cells. It therefore may have a number of advantages over traditional methods of preparing stem cells.

Our aim is to develop methods to harvest and characterise stem cells from the placenta so as to provide a safe non-controversial alternative to the harvesting of embryonic or fetal stem cells. These placental stem cells will be used to develop novel therapies in our field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In addition, through collaborative interactions with other medical researchers, these stem cells will be used to develop novel therapies to treat a wide range of other significant human diseases and disorders.

Our research group has extensive experience in studying placental functions and specific placental cell types. We enjoy an excellent international reputation for innovative and leading edge placental research.

Researchers

• Dr Bill Kalionis, Deputy Head of Research
• Professor Shaun Brennecke, Director
• Dr Maria Kokkinos, Research Scientist
• Dr Gina Kusuma, Research Scientist
• Ms Sue Duggan, Clinical Research Midwife
• Ms Moira Stewart, Clinical Research Midwife
• Mr Anthony Borg, Research Officer
• Ms Janet Stevenson, Medical Laboratory Technician
• Ms Jancy Johnson, Masters Student
• Ms Aida Shakouri, PhD Scholar
• Mr Ramin Khanabdali, PhD Scholar
• Ms Jess Bahn, Honours Student

Collaborators

• Dr Daniel Heath, University of Melbourne
• Dr Padma Murthi, Monash Hospital
• Dr Ursula Manuelpillai, Monash University

Funding

The research actiivities of the Pregnancy Research Centre (PRC) are funded by a variety of intramural and extramural sources. Since its formation in 1993, the PRC has secured over $15 Million in peer-reviewed, competetive national and international funding sources.

Research Outcomes

Recent publications relating to Placental stem cells from the PRC.

Kusuma G, Murthi P, Kalionis B. Function and Pathologies of the Human Placenta in “Placenta: The Tree of Life” Parolini O ed., Taylor and Francis pub. 2016:13-38 CRC Press 2016 ISBN 97814987002694.

Kusuma GD, Menicanin D, Gronthos S, Manuelpillai U, Abumaree MH, Pertile MD, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Ectopic Bone Formation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Human Term Placenta and the Decidua. PLoS One. 2015; 10(10):e0141246.

Qin SQ, Kusuma GD, Al-Sowayan B, Pace RA, Isenmann SB, Pertile MD, Gronthos S, Abumaree MH, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Establishment and characterization of fetal and maternal mesenchymal stem/stromal cell lines from the human term placenta Placenta 2016; 39: 134-146.

Kusuma GD, Manuelpillai U, Abumaree M, Pertile MD, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Mesenchymal stem cells reside in a vascular niche in the decidua basalis, and are absent in remodelled spiral arterioles Placenta 2015; 36 312-321.

Castrechini NM, Murthi P, Qin S, Kusuma GD, Wilton L, Abumaree M, Gronthos S, Zannettino A, Gude NM, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Decidua parietalis-derived mesenchymal stromal cells reside in a vascular niche within the choriodecidua, Reproductive Sciences. 2012; 19:1302- 1314.

Abomaray F, Al Jumah M, Alsaad KO, Jawdat D, Al-Khaldi A, AlAskar A, Al Harthy S, Al Subayyil A, Khatlani T, Alawad A, Kushi A, Kalionis B, Abumaree M. Phenotypic and functional characterization of mesenchymal stem/multipotent stromal cells from decidua basalis of human term placenta. Stem Cells International Special Issue "Hematopoietic and Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Biomedical and Clinical Applications". 2016; 2016:5184601, 18 pages

Kusuma GD, Abumaree MH, Pertile MD, Perkins AV, Brennecke SP, Kalionis B. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells derived from 1 a reproductive tissue niche under oxidative stress have high aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. Stem Cell Reviews and Reports. Online 2016-02-18 doi:10.1007/s12015-016-9649-5

Abomaray FM, Al Jumah MA, Kalionis B, AlAskar AS, Al Harthy S, Jawdat D, Al Khaldi A, Alkushi A, Knawy BA, Abumaree MH. Human chorionic villous mesenchymal stem cells modify the functions of human dendritic cells, and induce an anti-inflammatory phenotype in CD1+ dendritic cells. Stem cell reviews and reports. 2015; 11(3):423-441

Ning Y, Huang J, Kalionis B, Bian Q, Dong J, Wu J, Tai X, Xia S, Shen Z. Oleanolic Acid Induces Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells to Neurons: an Involvement of Transcription Factor Nkx-2.5. Stem Cells International. 2015; 2015:672312.

Wan W, Cao L, Kalionis B, Xia S and Tai X. Applications of induced pluripotent stem cells in studying the neurodegenerative diseases. Review. Stem Cells International. 2015; 2015:382530

Abumaree MH, Al Askar AS, Kalionis B, Abomaray FM, Jawdat D, Hajeer AH, Fakhoury H, Al Jumah MA. Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine at King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC). Stem Cells and Development. 2014; 23 Suppl 1:12-16

Liu H, Murthi P, Qin S, Kusuma GD, Borg A, Knöfler M, Haslinger P, Manuelpillai U, Pertile MD, Abumaree M, Kalionis B. A novel combination of homeobox genes is expressed in mesenchymal chorionic stem/stromal cells in first trimester and term pregnancies. Reproductive Sciences. 2014; 21(11):1382-94

Vaghjiani V, Vaithilingam V, Saraswati I, Sali A, Murthi P, Kalionis B, Tuch BE, Manuelpillai U. Hepatocyte-like cells derived from human amniotic epithelial cells can be encapsulated without loss of viability or function in vitro.  Stem Cells and Development. 2014; 23(8):866-76

Research Publications

Kusuma G, Murthi P, Kalionis B. Function and Pathologies of the Human Placenta in “Placenta: The Tree of Life” Parolini O ed., Taylor and Francis pub. 2016:13-38 CRC Press 2016 ISBN 97814987002694.

Kusuma GD, Menicanin D, Gronthos S, Manuelpillai U, Abumaree MH, Pertile MD, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Ectopic Bone Formation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Human Term Placenta and the Decidua. PLoS One. 2015; 10(10):e0141246.

Qin SQ, Kusuma GD, Al-Sowayan B, Pace RA, Isenmann SB, Pertile MD, Gronthos S, Abumaree MH, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Establishment and characterization of fetal and maternal mesenchymal stem/stromal cell lines from the human term placenta Placenta 2016; 39: 134-146.

Kusuma GD, Manuelpillai U, Abumaree M, Pertile MD, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Mesenchymal stem cells reside in a vascular niche in the decidua basalis, and are absent in remodelled spiral arterioles Placenta 2015; 36 312-321.

Castrechini NM, Murthi P, Qin S, Kusuma GD, Wilton L, Abumaree M, Gronthos S, Zannettino A, Gude NM, Brennecke SP and Kalionis B. Decidua parietalis-derived mesenchymal stromal cells reside in a vascular niche within the choriodecidua, Reproductive Sciences. 2012; 19:1302- 1314.