Peripheral blood-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells circulate in low number. They share most of the surface markers with bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, possess diverse and complicated gene expression characteristics. Although their origin and physio-pathological function are still unclear, their presence in the adult peripheral blood might relate to controversial subjects in the field of tissue engineering. In this review, current studies about peripheral blood-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells are summarized, and its application in bone tissue engineering is discussed.
