Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Assays: In Vitro and In Vivo.

Populations of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also known as bone marrow-derived "mesenchymal stem cells") contain a subset of cells that are able to recapitulate the formation of a bone/marrow organ (skeletal stem cells, SSCs). It is now apparent that cells with similar but not identical properties can be isolated from other skeletal compartments (growth plate, periosteum). The biological properties of BMSCs, and these related stem/progenitor cells, are assessed by a variety of assays, both in vitro and in vivo. Application of these assays in an appropriate fashion provide a great deal of information on the role of BMSCs, and the subset of SSCs, in health and in disease.