Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells, prototypically found in the bone marrow, which are undergoing investigation as a cell‐based therapeutic for several clinical disorders. This potential of MSCs is due to their ability for self renewal, to be immune privileged and immunosuppressive, and to give rise to different specialized cells from the mesoderm lineage, such as adipocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes, cardiocytes, or myocytes, and from nonmesoderm lineage, such as neurons (ectoderm) or hepatocytes (endoderm). Several animal studies (e.g. swine) have shown that bone marrow derived MSCs restore cardiac function and regenerate cardiac tissue in settings of both acute and chronic injury. Based on rigorous preclinical results, there are numerous ongoing Phase I/II clinical trials addressing the safety, cell dose, delivery technique, and efficacy of MSCs in patients with chronic heart failure. Here we describe the procedures for the isolation, expansion and cryopreservation of MSCs from harvested bone marrow for cardiac delivery.