Ligands that modulate differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

摘要

Disclosed are compositions and methods for accelerating the differentiation of human MSCs into the osteogenic lineage with resultant enhanced de novo bone formation. This makes possible improved methods for bone defect repair. Thus, one aspect of the invention is a method for accelerating the differentiation of ALCAM-bearing hMSCs into the osteogenic lineage by contacting such hMSCs with a ligand that binds to activated leukocyte-cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) on a single hMSC. Preferably, the ligand is a Fab fragment of a monoclonal antibody expressed by the hybridoma of ATCC Accession No. NB 11789.