Yeungnam Univ J Med.  2009 Jun;26(1):1-14. 10.12701/yujm.2009.26.1.1.

Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cell Therapy in Clinical Application

• Song IH

• KMID: 1469814
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2009.26.1.1

Abstract

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a rare population of undifferentiated cells that have the capacity of self renewal and the ability to differentiate into mesodermal phenotypes, including osteocytes, chondrocytes, and adipocytes in vitro. Recently, MSCs have been shown to reside within the connective tissue of most organs, and their surface phenotype has been well analyzed. Many reports showed that transplanted MSCs enhanced regeneration as well as functional improvement of damaged organs and tissues. The wide differentiation plasticity of MSCs was expected to contribute to their demonstrated efficacy in a wide variety of experimental animal models and in human clinical trials. However, new findings suggest that the ability of MSCs to alter the tissue microenvironment via secretion of soluble factors may contribute more significantly than their capacity for differentiation in tissue repair. This review describes what is known about the cellular characteristics and differentiation potential of MSCs, which represent a promising stem cell population for further applications in regenerative medicine.

Keyword

Mesenchymal stem cell; Cell therapy; Clinical application; Differentiation

MeSH Terms

Adipocytes
Adult
Chondrocytes
Connective Tissue
Humans
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Mesoderm
Models, Animal
Osteocytes
Phenotype
Plastics
Regeneration
Regenerative Medicine
Stem Cells
Tissue Therapy
Transplants
Plastics