Mesenchymal stem cell (or Mesenchymal stromal cell) (MSC)

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), also known as mesenchymal stromal cells, are multipotent cells capable of differentiating into various cell types, including osteoblasts (bone), chondrocytes (cartilage), adipocytes (fat), and, to a lesser extent, muscle, neural, endothelial, and hepatocyte lineages[1][2][8]. They are found in multiple tissues, including bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord. The promotion of MSC differentiation refers to stimulating these cells to adopt specific fates, often by modulating key signaling pathways such as Wnt, TGF-β, FGF, and Hedgehog[5][6][9]. This process is central to the fields of regenerative medicine and cell therapy, where directed differentiation of MSCs is harnessed for tissue repair, but it is not itself a single druggable target or protein receptor—rather, it is a biological outcome of multiple pathway interactions.

Other names

Mesenchymal stromal cellMedicinal signaling cellMultipotent stromal cell