Three-dimensional Culture of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are partially defined by their ability to differentiate into different tissues in vitro-including the bone, cartilage, and adipose tissue, as well as their ability to secrete bioactive factors in response to local microenvironmental cues. A significant amount of information exists on the biochemical, metabolic, and feedback mechanisms associated with MSC response, but the clinical applications of MSCs have been limited by changes in their in vitro capabilities that occur upon transplantation into the body. These inconsistencies occur because most preclinical studies on MSCs have been conducted in two-dimensional cell culture plates rather than in a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture system, which is more physiologically similar to the extracellular matrix found in the body. Thus, MSCs form thin monolayer devoid of vertical cell-cell interaction that prevents MSCs from colonizing. In this article, we review the history and characteristics of MSCs, related developments in 3D cell culture research, and some MSC-based clinical trials of MSCs in order to give a clear understanding of 3D cell culture systems in the field of tissue engineering with respect to MSC biology.