Isolation of Human Multipotential Stromal Cells from Bone Marrow and Adipose Tissue -- Isolation and Culture of Bone Marrow-Derived Human Multipotent Stromal Cells (hMSCs) -- Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Adult Bone Marrow -- A Method to Isolate and Purify Human Bone Marrow Stromal Stem Cells -- Adipose-Derived Stem Cells -- Isolation of Human Adipose-derived Stem Cells from Biopsies and Liposuction Specimens -- Manipulation of Human Multipotential Stromal Cells -- Colony Forming Unit Assays for MSCs -- Differentiation and Characterization of Human MSCs -- Freezing Harvested hMSCs and Recovery of hMSCs from Frozen Vials for Subsequent Expansion, Analysis, and Experimentation -- Gene Expression Analysis at the Single Cell Level Using the Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cell as a Model: Sample Preparation Methods -- Assays of MSCs with Microarrays -- Gene Delivery to Mesenchymal Stem Cells -- Isolation and Characterization of Murine Multipotential Stromal Cells from Bone Marrow -- Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Murine Bone Marrow by Immunodepletion.

For over forty years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been scrutinized and studied, garnering much attention due to their broad therapeutic efficacy. In Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Methods and Protocols, leaders in the field were assembled to contribute detailed methodologies for the isolation and characterization of human and rodent MSCs. Recently, these vital cells have shown therapeutic benefits in the treatment of myocardial infarction, stroke, lung diseases, spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders, thus promising a boundless future in their study. Written to the specifications of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, each chapter contains step-by-step laboratory protocols, a list of the necessary materials, and a Notes section with tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting edge and easy to use, Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Methods and Protocols is the perfect resource for scientists attempting to pursue this important and ever-developing field of research.