Adult stem cells are found in most tissues, where they are thought to participate in natural turnover and regeneration. Under defined conditions, some of these cells can also be significantly expanded and differentiated along specific lineages. This post is focused on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can be isolated from virtually every organ of the human body. While MSCs have a wellproven potential to give rise to connective tissues (e.g., bone, cartilage, fat, etc.), their ability to differentiate into endodermal cell types (and particularly insulinproducing beta cells) is Read the rest of this entry »