Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are today, the most favoured cellular
candidates for regenerative therapeutics. Though discovered early in the 1960s, only
recent decades have witnessed extensive research involving MSCs. MSCs, termed as
multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells in 2006, by the International Society of Cellular
Therapy have gained greater acceptance in view of their ubiquitous presence in tissues,
exemption from ethical concerns, clonogenic potential, trilineage differentiation,
versatile plasticity and ability to orchestrate host tissue interactions. Biological
properties of MSCs that contribute to therapeutic efficiency include facilitating
secretion of bioactive factors, induction of cellular recruitment and retention of
progenitor faculties. Researchers, however continue to be intrigued by variability in the
in vivo identity of MSCs which is influenced by various factors that include tissue of
origin, age of MSCs, number of isolates and isolation efficiency, associated metabolic
disorders, foetal or adult status, gene expression, protein and transcription factors and
allogenic or autologous extract . Although early results in clinical studies are
promising, transformation of MSCs into a mature clinically viable option would mean a
patient wait.
