BACKGROUND: Cytological markers and tracer technology of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are the focus in transplantation treatment of stem cells. Although in recent years, cytological markers and tracer technology of BMSCs have made great progress, there are still many problems need to be solved.
OBJECTIVE: To review the research and development of tracer technique and cytological markers of BMSCs.
METHODS: The articles related to cytological markers and tracer technology of BMSCs from CNKI and Foreign Medical Journal Service database between 1982 and 2011 were retrieved by computer with the key words of “bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, markers, tracer technique” in title and summary or “ bone marrow, labeling, Tracer” as search terms in English. Finally 29 articles were included.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There are many tracer techniques of BMSCs, the mainly techniques are isotope tracer method, antigen labeling, fluorescent protein, fluorescence dye labeling, magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancer notation, Lac-Z gene marker method and Y-chromosome labeling. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Selected markers should have high specificity, high sensitivity, lower effect on the cell or organism, labeling and detection easily, appropriate marker time and so on. Tracer technique of seed cells still needs further study.