title: Isolation and identification of putative mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow.
abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells are pluripotent progenitor cells found in bone marrow that have the capacity of differentiating into bone, cartilage, tendon, fat, muscle, and early progenitors of neural cells under certain conditions. It has also been shown that they support haematopoiesis in culture. We have successfully isolated mesenchymal stem cells from a bone marrow sample of an anaemic patient by using DMEM supplemented with 10% of FBS. They could be distinguished from other cells by their tendency to adhere to tissue culture plastic. The adherent time was about three to seven days. Microscopically, the cultured cells showed morphology resembling fibroblast and they divided actively. Early passage cultures were heterogenous and contained four morphologically distinct cell types; long spindle-shaped cells, star-shaped cells, petal-shaped cells and large flattened granular cells with vacuoles. Identification of mesenchymal stem cells was carried out by cytochemical analysis and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. Identification of these cells is vital as they have properties that appear to make them ideal candidates for studying differentiation and make them suitable for cellular and gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Haematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Services, MAKNA-HUKM Cancer Institute, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. rachelmok2002@hotmail.com
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cheong
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers