Mesenchymal Stem Cell Group

Research Leader: Associate Professor Stan Gronthos

Adult bone marrow contains a nonhaematopoietic, stromal stem cell population with the ability to form clonogenic, adherent colonies comprised of fibroblast-like cells (CFU-F: colony forming units-fibroblast). The ex vivo expanded progeny of CFU-F have been shown to develop into different stromal cell lineages (myelosupportive stroma, adipocytes, smooth muscle cells, myoblasts, chondrocytes and osteoblasts) and are thought to arise from a common, self-replicating multi-potential stem cell referred to as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) or bone marrow stromal stem cells.

The group's stem cell isolation technology has recently been used to identify MSC-like cells from adipose tissue and dental tissues that exhibit similar growth properties and gene expression profiles to these described for bone marrow derived MSC. This work has resulted in the generation of several patents encompassing the isolation and expansion technologies and use of different MSC preparations for various tissue engineering based applications. These patents have now been licensed to two sister companies, Angioblast Systems Inc., New York, NY. and Mesoblast Ltd., Melbourne Vic.

Research Priorities:

• Identify factors and signalling pathways that mediate MSC self-renewal, niche maintenance, proliferation recruitment/ migration and multi-differentiation
• Determine the safety and efficacy of MSC-like populations to regenerate functional tissues when implanted into animal models of tissue damage