This study was aimed to explore the feasibility of transplanting human cord blood stem cells (HSC) into pre-immune fetal and neonatal pigs, and to investigate the self-renewal of HSC in the recipient pigs. The fetus and neonate were manipulated in sterile separated room and human donor cells were injected into fetus via fetus muscle or umbilical vein (dissectted womb) or into neonate via umbilical vein before cutting it. Human CD45(+) cells s were detected by labeling with human anti-CD45 antibody and analyzed by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). The results showed that tested pigs developed as well as control and a definite proportion of human cells existed in peripheral blood of chimeric pig on day 60 after transplantation. In conclusion, the fetus and neonate pigs can tolerate a definite proportion of human antigens, and to establish the human/pig model of hematopoietic chimerism is possible.
Animals Animals, Newborn