Abstract
Marrow stromal cells (MSC1) are able to generate a series of terminally-differentiated cells in vitro. Most experiments are performed with heterogeneous stromal cells obtained by adherence to plastic culture dishes. Since bone marrow-derived stromal cells are purified to a homogeneous population meeting the criteria for non-hematopoietic stem cells, these cells have been termed“mesenchymal stem cells”and have the capability of generating an array of cells. However,“mesenchymal stem cells”(MSC2) are also actual multi-purpose cells capable of differentiating into cells of mesoderm-origin regardless of cell sources. MSC2 can be recovered from a variety of other tissues, such as fat, muscle, menstrual blood, endometrium, placenta, umbilical cord, cord blood, skin, and eye. The terms“mesenchymal stem cell”and“marrow stromal cell”have been used interchangeably in emerging literature to describe cells that can be used in regenerative medicine, thereby introducing a degree of confusion. In this review, we re-organize the understanding of the two MSCs, describe their biology and differentiate between the two.
