Control of mesenchymal stem cell biology by histone modifications

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered the most promising seed cells for regenerative medicine because of their considerable therapeutic properties and accessibility. Fine-tuning of cell biological processes, including differentiation and senescence, is essential for achievement of the expected regenerative efficacy. Researchers have recently made great advances in understanding the spatiotemporal gene expression dynamics that occur during osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs and the intrinsic and environmental factors that affect these processes. In this context, histone modifications have been intensively studied in recent years and have already been indicated to play significant and universal roles in MSC fate determination and differentiation. In this review, we summarize recent discoveries regarding the effects of histone modifications on MSC biology. Moreover, we also provide our insights and perspectives for future applications.