Properties of Stem Cells
Stem cells are defined by having 3 major properties:
1) They are capable of self-renewal.
2) They divide, some daughter cells give rise to cells that either maintain stem cell character
3) They can differentiate & give rise to differentiated cells.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have been identified in many tissues & are capable of differentiation into many lineages of cells when grow in defined conditions including osteogenic, chondrogenic, myogenic & neurogenic lineages