Success rate of primary human endothelial cell culture from umbilical cords is influenced by maternal and fetal factors and interval from delivery

There is increasing interest in human umbilical cord vein as a source of endothelial cells. This paper shows that success in setting up cultures of human endothelial cells from umbilical cords depends not only on culture conditions, as so far proposed, but also on factors preceding the harvesting of the cells. In particular, the mother's smoking habit and the use of umbilical cord within 1 h of delivery have been shown to impair success of the culture. Age, parity, diabetes, and hypertension of the mother, type of delivery, and sex and weight of the newborn did not significantly influence the possibility of establishing successful endothelial cell culture.