Mesenchymal stem cells
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (pronunciation: meh-sen-ki-mal stem cells) are multipotent stromal cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells), myocytes (muscle cells) and adipocytes (fat cells which give rise to marrow adipose tissue).
Etymology
The term "Mesenchymal stem cell" is derived from the Greek word "mesenchyme" which was used to describe embryonic connective tissue, and "stem cell", a type of cell that can produce other cells through the process of cell division.
Characteristics
Mesenchymal stem cells are characterized by their ability to auto-renew through cell division and differentiate into multi-lineage cells. They are also characterized by the expression of numerous markers including CD105, CD73 and CD90, and lack expression of CD45, CD34, CD14 or CD11b, CD79alpha or CD19 and HLA-DR surface molecules.
Clinical Applications
Mesenchymal stem cells have been used in regenerative medicine, a branch of medicine that develops methods to regrow, repair or replace damaged or diseased cells, organs or tissues. They have been used in treatments for diseases such as osteogenesis imperfecta, Graft-versus-host disease, and heart disease.
Research
Research is ongoing into the various applications of mesenchymal stem cells, including tissue engineering, gene therapy, and immunomodulation.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Mesenchymal stem cells
- Wikipedia's article - Mesenchymal stem cells
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