Cellular mechanisms of emerging applications of mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent, self-renewing cells that can be found mainly in the bone marrow, and other post-natal organs and tissues. The ease of isolation and expansion, together with the immunomodulatory properties and their capability to migrate to sites of inflammation and tumours make them a suitable candidate for therapeutic use in the clinical settings. We review here the cellular mechanisms underlying the emerging applications of MSC in various fields.