Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to exhibit immunosuppressive characteristics, next to their effect on tissue specific differentiation.
MSCs can secrete multiple immunosuppressive factors, like IL-10, IL-1 Receptor Antagonist (IL-1RA), Indoleamine2,3-DiOxygenase (IDO), TGFb and ProstaGlandin E2 (PGE2)
and they can induce anti-inflammatory effects in macrophages.
Moreover, evidence is gathering that MSCs need an inflammatory
milieu to deliver immunosuppressive signals.
Next to bone marrow, adipose tissue also hosts multipotent stem cells.
These adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) share multiple properties with
bone marrow-derived MSCs, but are more accessible and abundant
(5% vs 0.0001e0.001% of nucleated cells).
Both types have adipogenic,osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potential and display
immunosuppressive properties in vitro as well as in vivo.