Clarification of the nomenclature for MSC: The International Society for Cellular Therapy position statement

TY - JOUR

T1 - Clarification of the nomenclature for MSC: The International Society for Cellular Therapy position statement

AU - Horwitz, E M

AU - Le Blanc, K

AU - Dominici, M

AU - Mueller, I

AU - Slaper-Cortenbach, I

AU - Marini, F C

AU - Deans, R J

AU - Krause, D S

AU - Keating, A

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - The plastic-adherent cells isolated from BM and other sources have come to be widely known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). However, the recognized biologic properties of the unfractionated population of cells do not seem to meet generally accepted criteria for stem cell activity, rendering the name scientifically inaccurate and potentially misleading to the lay public. Nonetheless, a bona fide MSC most certainly exists. To address this inconsistency between nomenclature and biologic properties, and to clarify the terminology, we suggest that the fibroblast-like plastic-adherent cells, regardless of the tissue from which they are isolated, be termed multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, while the term mesenchymal stem cells is used only for cells that meet specified stem cell criteria. The widely recognized acronym, MSC, may be used for both cell populations, as is the current practice; thus, investigators must clearly define the more scientifically correct designation in their reports. The International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) encourages the scientific community to adopt this uniform nomenclature in all written and oral communications.

AB - The plastic-adherent cells isolated from BM and other sources have come to be widely known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). However, the recognized biologic properties of the unfractionated population of cells do not seem to meet generally accepted criteria for stem cell activity, rendering the name scientifically inaccurate and potentially misleading to the lay public. Nonetheless, a bona fide MSC most certainly exists. To address this inconsistency between nomenclature and biologic properties, and to clarify the terminology, we suggest that the fibroblast-like plastic-adherent cells, regardless of the tissue from which they are isolated, be termed multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, while the term mesenchymal stem cells is used only for cells that meet specified stem cell criteria. The widely recognized acronym, MSC, may be used for both cell populations, as is the current practice; thus, investigators must clearly define the more scientifically correct designation in their reports. The International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) encourages the scientific community to adopt this uniform nomenclature in all written and oral communications.

KW - Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

KW - Multipotent Stem Cells

KW - Stromal Cells

KW - Terminology as Topic

U2 - 10.1080/14653240500319234

DO - 10.1080/14653240500319234

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 16236628

VL - 7

SP - 393

EP - 395

JO - CYTOTHERAPY

JF - CYTOTHERAPY

SN - 1465-3249

IS - 5

ER -