Background: The possibility of obtaining mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from fetal tissue such as amniotic fluid, chorionic villi and placenta is well-known and a comparison between MSCs originating in different sources such as fetal tissue and those from bone marrow in terms of yield and function is a topical issue. The mesenchymal stem cells isolated from bone marrow are well-characterized. Unfortunately the low quantitative yield during isolation is a major problem. For this reason, other tissue sources for MSCs are of paramount importance.
Conclusion: In this review, starting from a description of the molecular and cellular biology of MSCs, we describe alternative sources of isolation other than bone marrow. Finally, we describe the potential therapeutic application of these cells.