Adipose tissue or bone marrow, store for purchasing mesenchymal stem cells?

tem cell biology has made cell-based therapies promising. While the use of human embryonic stem cells is ethically controversial, adult stem cells attracts more and more attention from clinicians and scientists. Adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are derived from various tissues, including bone marrow, subcutaneous adipose tissue, cruciate ligament, muscle, and synovium,1 which are potential donors for stem cell therapy. Adipose tissue is composed of lipid-filled mature adipocytes and a heterogeneous stromal vascular cells. Similarly, the bone marrow is composed of multiple cell types including adipocytes, heamatopoietic, osteoprogenitor, and stromal cells necessary to support hematopoiesis. Both adipose and bone marrow contain a population of MSC with the potential to differentiate into multiple cell lineages, including adipogenic, chondrogenic, vascular, and osteogenic cells, depending on the culture conditions. Although bone marrow-derived MSC (BM-MSC) are being widely used in cell-based therapy and tissue engineering, adipose-derived MSC (ASC) serve as an alternative source of MSC. Subcutaneous adipose depots are accessible, abundant, and replenishable, thereby providing a potential adult stem cell reservoir for each individual.2,3 Article p 2260