Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to develop stem cell-based therapies for difficult to treat diseases. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, also referred to as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), appear to hold great promise in regards to a regenerative cell-based therapy for the treatment of these diseases. Currently, more than 200 clinical trials are underway worldwide exploring the use of MSCs for the treatment of a wide range of disorders including bone, cartilage and tendon damage, myocardial infarction, graft-versus-host disease, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, critical limb ischemia and many others. MSCs were first identified by Friendenstein and colleagues as an adherent stromal cell population within the bone marrow with the ability to form clonogenic colonies in vitro. In regards to the basic biology associated with MSCs, there has been tremendous progress towards understanding this cell population’s phenotype and function from a range of tissue sources. Despite enormous progress and an overall increased understanding of MSCs at the molecular and cellular level, several critical questions remain to be answered in regards to the use of these cells in therapeutic applications. Clinically, both autologous and allogenic approaches for the transplantation of MSCs are being explored. Several of the processing steps needed for the clinical application of MSCs, including isolation from various tissues, scalable in vitro expansion, cell banking, dose preparation, quality control parameters, delivery methods and numerous others are being extensively studied. Despite a significant number of ongoing clinical trials, none of the current therapeutic approaches have, at this point, become a standard of care treatment. Although exceptionally promising, the clinical translation of MSC-based therapies is still a work in progress. The extensive number of ongoing clinical trials is expected to provide a clearer path forward for the realization and implementation of MSCs in regenerative medicine. Towards this end, reviews of current clinical trial results and discussions of relevant topics association with the clinical application of MSCs are compiled in this book from some of the leading researchers in this exciting and rapidly advancing field. Although not absolutely all-inclusive, we hope the chapters within this book can promote and enable a better understanding of the translation of MSCs from bench-to-bedside and inspire researchers to further explore this promising and quickly evolving field.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Human Health and Diseases provides a contemporary overview of the fast-moving field of MSC biology, regenerative medicine and therapeutics. MSCs offer the potential to dramatically reduce human suffering from disease. Numerous MSC-based studies are ongoing each year, each offering hope for novel treatments in human disease. This book provides information on MSC application in well-studied human diseases and tissue repair/regeneration and recent advances in their research and treatment. These discoveries are placed within the structural context of tissue and developmental biology in sections dealing with recent advances in our understanding of MSC biology. Includes insights ranging from MSC biology and development through the derivation and identification and properties of MSCs Helps to identify potential innovative solutions for restoring normal morphogenesis and/or regeneration of diseased organs Discusses the fact-based promise of MSC therapeutics and regenerative medicine in the real world

Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) biology has been studied for more than 4 decades and the cells have been investigated for potential clinical applications for more than 15 years. Progress has become exponential over the past decade due mainly to the broad therapeutic potential of these cells. However, MSC studies have also been subject to controversy and increasing scrutiny as new mechanisms of action are reported and ever-expanding therapeutic applications pursued. In this book, leading authorities from all over the world, who are actively involved in this field, provide state-of-the-art knowledge of the basic biology, translational requirements and latest clinical experience with MSCs. This cutting edge book is the ideal resource for scientists and clinicians interested in pursuing an important and rapidly developing field of research that will eventually help patients and address urgent unmet medical needs. Features include: Coverage of the biology of MSCs, latest understanding of mechanisms of action, and role in tissue homeostasis and regeneration Identifying the potential of MSCs in proceeding from bench to bedside from regulatory , GMP production, ethical and safety aspects Critical analysis of clinical studies and the potential of MSCs to treat a wide variety of human diseases and tissues.

For over forty years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been scrutinized and studied, garnering much attention due to their broad therapeutic efficacy. In this essential book, leaders in the field were assembled to contribute detailed methodologies for the isolation and characterization of human and rodent MSCs. Cutting edge and easy to use, this book is the perfect resource for scientists attempting to pursue this important and ever-developing field of research.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells have seen an unprecedented level of interest in the last decade, primarily due to their relative ease of isolation, the large numbers of cells present in the adult, and the ability to propagate these cells in culture. In Mesenchymal Stem Cell Assays and Applications, expert researchers from across the globe explore the latest techniques to propagate, characterize, and engineer this special cell type. Chapters outline a set of protocols and assays used by leading investigators in the field, providing standards that can be applied by all researchers to the population of cells used in their experiments. Composed in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, step-by-step methods, a list of necessary materials, and a Notes section which shares tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Ground-breaking and current, Mesenchymal Stem Cell Assays and Applications is a necessary handbook for all researchers working with this ambiguous population of cells.

Biobanking is considered to be one of the ten ideas changing the world with an estimated value of $45 billion by 2025. Despite the challenges, as the climate for innovation in the biobanking industry continues to flourish around the world, it is certain that amazing discoveries will emerge from this large-scale method of preserving and accessing human samples; biobanking is no longer just a place for collecting and storing samples. This book will cover a wide variety of subjects from across the future biobanking spectrum including scientific strategies, personalized medicine, regenerative medicine and stem cell challenges, disease surveillance, population genetics and innovative methods of biobanking.

Stromal cells are connective tissue cells of any organ, and they support the function of the parenchymal cells of that particular organ. Stromal/stromal stem cells are fundamentally a heterogeneous population of cells with contradictory differentiation potential depending upon their environmental niche. Stromal cell biology is not only intriguing, but equally stromal cell ontogeny in vivo remains challenging. In recent years there has been substantial advances in our understanding of stromal cell biology, especially stromal cell isolation, characterization, differentiation, and interactions in physiological (epithelial-stromal interactions) as well as pathophysiological (stromal-cancer interactions) contexts. In addition, stromal cells are also utilized more and more as a therapeutic tool not only in the field of gene therapy but also in the translational field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Therefore, the goal of this book is to consolidate the recent advances in the area of stromal/stromal stem cell biology covering a broad range of interrelated topics in a timely fashion and to disseminate that knowledge in a lucid way to a greater scientific audience. This book will prove highly useful for students, researchers, and clinicians in stem cell biology, developmental biology, cancer biology, pathology, oncology, as well as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This quick reference will benefit anyone desiring a thorough overview of stromal cell structure, function, and its therapeutic implications.