羊水中存在多能性干细胞,它们不仅阳性表达胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cell,ESC)表面标志物,如SSEA-4,保持未分化状态的转录因子OCT-4,胚胎多能性维持因子Nanog等;而且阳性表达成人干细胞(adultstem cell,ASC)表面标志物CD29和CD44等,在特定的诱导条件下能够分化为代表三胚层生殖层系。
Human amniotic fluid contains pluripotent stem cells, which positively express markers of embryonic stem cells, like SSEA-4, Oct-4 and Nanog; and also markers of adult stem ceils, like CD29 and CD44. Under specific inducing conditions, they are capable of differentiating into lineages representing three embryonic germ layers.