ABSTRACT
Stem cells are the most primitive cells in the human body and are thought to be capable of both self-renewal and multilineage differentiation during development and tissue repair and regeneration. Amongst well-studied stem cell types is the adult stem cell class termed mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Cells designated MSCs were originally isolated from the bone marrow and are thought to give rise to mesenchymal tissue types, amongst others, and to play an important role in the repair and regeneration of these tissues (Mezey 2011). This chapter presents an overview of the current literature on MSC characteristics, including the still evolving understanding of their properties and markers, and the strategies being used to isolate and purify MSCs.
