EXTENSIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF PLATELET GEL RELEASATE FROM CORD BLOOD IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE.

Platelet gel derived from peripheral blood is widely applied in many clinical fields of surgery as biomaterial containing growth factors with high proliferative properties. In 2010 we studied and patented a platelet gel derived from cord blood. In this study, due to the crucial role of the factors released by the platelet gel, we first extended the characterization of its releasate. Using a wide proteomic array and splitting the two components of the releasate, i.e. platelets and plasma, we have been able to study their growth factor content. Interestingly we discovered high levels of hormones and molecules able to support tissue growth in the cord blood platelet gel releasate. And in addition higher concentrations of several angiogenic factors if compared with the peripheral blood counterpart. On the contrary the latest was much richer in inflammatory factors. The second aim of our work was to study the effects on cell culture, immunophenotype and function of mesenchymal stem cells exposed to these two platelet gel releasates as substitute of the animal serum. Since our findings nicely show that the use of the peripheral versus the cord blood platelet gel releasate can differently influence the mesenchymal stem cell commitment, we can suggest that in addition to its peculiar angiogenic properties cord blood platelet gel releasate shows excellent proliferative properties as cell culture supplement.