Heterogeneity of Human Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells

Increasing evidence has shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from body tissues are heterogeneous while being examined in vitro and in vivo. Besides some common characteristics, MSCs derived from different tissues exhibit unique biological properties. In addition, the therapeutic effects of MSCs may vary widely due to their heterogeneity and the technical differences in large-scale ex vivo expansion. In this chapter, the heterogeneity of MSCs will be discussed in three levels: the individual donors, the tissue sources, and the cell surface markers.