Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been discovered in most adult tissues examined, where they lie in wait to initiate repair. The number of these specialised cells are very low but can be isolated. In 1970, the successful isolation and culture of the non-haematopoietic portion from bone marrow of fibroblast-like adherent cells was not deemed initially, as a stem cell discovery. Later, it became evident that these undifferentiated cells were precursors of cells from the mesenchymal lineage, ie. adipocytes, chondrocytes and osteocytes. These MSCs had the ability to expand and differentiate into these different cell lines. Since this discovery, there has been an exponential growth of research into these cells producing a very large number of experimental studies and publications. The popular media have promoted stem-cell therapy on the back of these andother clinical studies. Overall, these experimental studies have produced consistently promising results that have led to the use of these cells in clinical practice and their promotion commercially.
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