Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells are derived from mature bone marrow and have the potential to differentiate down numerous mesenchymal lineages into differing mesodermal cell types, including adipocytes, chondrocytes or osteoblasts. Chondrocytes make up the cellular matrix of cartilage, referred to as endochondral ossification, becoming embedded in the cartilaginous matrix to maintain its integrity. While, osteoblasts secrete bone matrix, referred to as intramembranous ossification, for remodelling of the bone to re-establish shape and function. Thus mesenchymal stem cells are a significant factor in bone-healing as they denote the progenitors for both osteoblasts and chondrocytes (Aubin, 1998).

The German pathologist Cohnheim (1867), is the first known person to suggest the existence of stem cells for purposes outside of hematopoietic cells in bone marrow. A translation of Cohnheim’s work could not be found, however, according to Prockop (1997, p. 71), Cohnheim derived this theory through his experimentation on wound repair. His method involved injecting an insoluble analine dye into the veins of animals. He created wounds at distal sites on the body and looked for the presence of cells holding the dye in them. From this experiment he found that the majority of cells appearing in the site contained the dye, thus inferring they came from the bloodstream, and, in effect, from bone marrow. These cells comprised inflammatory cells and cells that had a fibroblast-like morphology. Therefore, Cohnheim’s findings broached the likelihood that in the process of wound repair, the source of fibroblasts that deposit collagen fibre, may in fact be the bone marrow.

Successively, in the mid-1970s, pioneer Friedenstein, founded conclusive evidence that b...

... middle of paper ...

...omal Cells as Stem Cells for Nonhematopoietic Tissues. Science, 276(5309), 71-74. doi: 10.1126/science.276.5309.71

Sanvoranart, T., Supokawej, A., Kheolamai, P., U-pratya, Y., Klincumhom, N., Manochantr, S., Wattanapanitch, M., Issaragrisil, S. (2014). Bortezomib enhances the osteogenic differentiation capacity of human mesenchymal stromal cells derived from bone marrow and placental tissues. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 447(4), 580-585. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.04.044

Wakitani, S., Mitsuoka, T., Nakamura, N., Toritsuka, Y., Nakamura, Y., Horibe, S. (2004). Autologous bone marrow stromal cell transplantation for repair of full-thickness articular cartilage defects in human patellae: two case reports. Cell transplantation , 13 (5), 595-600. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15565871