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Functional markers and the ‘homogeneity’ of human mesenchymal stem cells
Author(s) -
Boheler Kenneth R.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2003.057224
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , clinical uses of mesenchymal stem cells , stem cell , haematopoiesis , bone marrow , stem cell transplantation for articular cartilage repair , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , adult stem cell , immunology , population , endothelial stem cell , multipotent stem cell , cell therapy , cell type , cell , progenitor cell , medicine , in vitro , genetics , environmental health
Stem cells are characterized by the abilities to self‐renew, generate large numbers of progeny and differentiate into at least one mature cell type. Bone marrow serves as a reservoir for several classes of adult stem cells. In addition to haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which can reconstitute the haematopoietic system of a myeloablated host, bone marrow contains a diverse population of marrow stromal cells (Herzog et al. 2003). Included among these are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which ex vivo can be isolated as a relatively homogeneous and undifferentiated cell population that produces multiple mature cell types including fat, bone and cartilage (Pittenger et al. 1999). Under appropriate, but ill‐defined conditions, human MSCs (hMSCs) can also differentiate into other cell types, including excitable cells with neuronal‐, myogenic and cardiomyogenic‐like phenotypes. Because MSCs are multipotent and readily expandable in vitro , these cells have already been employed in early clinical studies, including the treatment of human myocardial infarction. Transplantation of autologous or allogeneic MSCs therefore represents a novel form of cellular therapy, which shows substantial promise for the treatment of a number of human diseases.