A team around Takahiro ARIMA at Tohoku University has succeeded to establish human TS cells from placental trophoblast. Trophoblasts with high purity were isolated from human placenta and genes and factors were identified that control their growth. Based on this information, human TS cells were cultured for more than 5 months, and even after prolonged culture, the ability to differentiate into various cells was maintained. Human placental stem cells are expected to be useful tools for studying the development and function of human placenta.

AMED news release, December 15, 2017