Amniotic epithelial cells have different in vitro proliferation capacity depending on their anatomical origin

Recently, it has been reported that amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) could differentiate into multiple cell types including neural, epidermal (ectodermal), and pancreatic and hepatic (endodermal) cells. Therefore, AECs are thought to be a good stem cell source for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, there have been no available data on the proliferation of AECs, especially according to their original anatomical sites, i.e., reflected, placental and cord amnions. In this study, we isolated the AECs from these three amnions by explant outgrowth and also performed in situ stratification by culturing each fresh amnion for 2 days in the submerged condition followed by 7 days in the air-liquid interface condition. As a result, the isolation success rates of AEC from reflected, placental, and cord amnions were 13.7, 44.5, and 71.5%, respectively, and in situ stratification success rates were 0, 53.3, and 76.5%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report that AECs from different anatomical sites have different proliferation capacities in vitro.