Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2011 Sep;7(3):560-8. doi: 10.1007/s12015-011-9229-7.
Cultured mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) populations are best characterized by the capacity of some cells within this population to differentiate into mesodermal derivatives such as osteoblasts, chondrocytes and adipocytes. However, this progenitor property is not shared by all cells within the MSC population. Furthermore, MSCs exhibit variability in their phenotypes, including proliferation capacity, expression of cell surface markers and ability to secrete cytokines. These facts raise three major questions: (1) Does the in vitro observed variability reflect the existence of MSC subsets in vivo? (2) What is the molecular basis of the in vitro observed heterogeneity? and (3) What is the biological significance of this variability? This review considers the possibility that the variable nature of MSC populations contributes to the capacity of adult mammalian tissues to adapt to varying microenvironmental demands.
培养的间充质基质细胞 (MSC) 群体的特征是该群体中的一些细胞具有分化为中胚层衍生物的能力，例如成骨细胞、软骨细胞和成脂细胞。然而，这种祖细胞特性并不是 MSC 群体中的所有细胞都具有的。此外，MSCs 在其表型方面表现出变异性，包括增殖能力、细胞表面标志物的表达和分泌细胞因子的能力。这些事实提出了三个主要问题：(1) 体外观察到的变异性是否反映了 MSC 亚群在体内的存在？(2) 体外观察到的异质性的分子基础是什么？和 (3) 这种变异性的生物学意义是什么？本综述考虑了这样一种可能性，即 MSC 群体的可变性质有助于成年哺乳动物组织适应不断变化的微环境需求的能力。
