Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 23, 2026
10:47
Isolation and Cellular Phenotyping of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Synovial Fluid and Bone Marrow of Minipigs
Published on: July 2, 2016
11.0K
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Levels of Human Spinal Tissues
Liam Harris1, C Thomas Vangsness
1Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA.
Spine
|September 9, 2017
Summary
Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are abundant in spinal tissues like the annulus fibrosus and ligamentum flavum. These findings offer valuable insights for clinical applications and future research involving MSCs.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are increasingly recognized for their therapeutic potential.
- Traditionally sourced from bone marrow, MSCs have been identified in various other tissues.
- Understanding MSC abundance in spinal tissues is crucial for clinical and research applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and quantify mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sources within human spinal tissues.
- To compile a compendium of MSC tissue sources for clinical and research use.
- To compare MSC levels across different spinal tissue types.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases.
- Inclusion of articles on harvest, characterization, isolation, and quantification of human MSCs from spinal tissues.
- Categorization and standardization of data for inter-site comparisons.
Main Results:
- Human MSC levels vary significantly across spinal tissues.
- Annulus fibrosus and ligamentum flavum show considerable MSC yields, potentially comparable to bone marrow.
- Specific yields reported for intervertebral disc (5% MSCs), cartilage endplate (18,500-61,875 cells/0.8mm), ligamentum flavum (250,000-500,000 cells/g), annulus fibrosus (29% Stro-1+), and nucleus pulposus (40,584-234,137 MSCs/g).
Conclusions:
- Spinal tissues offer a consistent and reliable source for human MSC isolation.
- Annulus fibrosus and ligamentum flavum are particularly promising sources of MSCs.
- This compendium aids in guiding future research and clinical applications of spinal MSCs.
