Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering

The identification of multipotential mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from adult human tissues such as bone marrow and connective tissues has provided exciting prospects for cell-based tissue engineering and regeneration. This review article focuses on the biology of MSCs, their differentiation potentials in vitro and in vivo, and their application in tissue engineering. Our current understanding of MSCs lags behind that of other stem cell types, such as hematopoietic stem cells. Future research should aim to define the cellular and molecular fingerprints of MSCs and elucidate their endogenous role(s) in normal and abnormal tissue functions.