Mesenchymal stem cells, also known as marrow stromal cells (1), are defined as a self-renewing population of adherent, bone-marrow-derived multipotent progenitor cells with the capacity to differentiate into several mesenchymal cell lineages. In defined in vitro assays, mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to readily differentiate into lineage-specific cells that form bone, cartilage, fat, tendon, and muscle tissues (1, 2). Mesenchymal stem cells also provide support and maintenance for the other major stem cell population in the bone marrow, the hematopoietic stem cells (2).
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC’s) have historically been isolated based on the ability of these cells to form adherent cell layers in culture and the concomitant lack of adherence of other cells in the bone marrow stroma such as hematopoietic stem cells, adipocytes, and macrophage (1, 3). While this procedure results in enriched populations of mesenchymal stem cells, the resulting bone-marrow derived cell populations are, nonetheless, heterogeneous – comprised not only of mesenchymal stem cells, but also of committed lineage-restricted progenitors (1, 3). To aid researchers in the accurate identification and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells, Millipore provides cryopreserved Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and optimized media in this kit. Millipore’s cryopreserved Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells are ready-to-use primary mesenchymal stem cells isolated from the iliac crest of normal human bone marrow (18-30 years old).