Sammanfattning
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are capable of multilineage differentiation into cells like osteoblasts, chrondrocytes or adipocytes. MSCs can be isolated from bone marrow and expanded ex vivo for up to 25-40 population doublings while maintaining genetic stability and differentiation potential. MSCs have great potential in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine where cartilage and bone conditions which are non-treatable or show very slow improvement can be effectively handled. Several clinical trials have been performed using MSC and show very promising results.