Abstract: A method for treating or repairing osteochondral damage in a subject in need thereof, including administering to the subject a cell preparation comprising pluripotent stem cells positive for SSEA-3 isolated from a body mesenchymal tissue or cultured mesenchymal cells. The pluripotent stem cells have all of the following properties: (i) CD105-positivity; (ii) low or absent telomerase activity; (iii) having ability to differentiate into any of three germ layers; (iv) absence of demonstration of neoplastic proliferation; and (v) self-renewal ability. The pluripotent stem cells are administered at 1×103 cells to 2×107 cells as individual.

Abstract: Provided is a technique that makes it possible to efficiently guide a magnetized cell by application of a magnetic field. The magnetized cell contains iron oxide, the magnetized cell containing iron, derived from the iron oxide, in an amount of not less than 35 pg/cell.

Abstract: Multilineage-differentiating stress enduring (Muse) cells are stage-specific embryonic antigen-3 (SSEA-3) positive cells that exist in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) populations. Muse cells have the pluripotency to differentiate into all germ layers as embryonic stem cells. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the efficacy of Muse cell transplantation for repairing osteochondral defects. Muse cells were isolated from human bone marrow MSCs. As osteochondral defects, the patellar grooves of immunodeficient rats were injured. Next, cells were injected into the mice so that the animals were divided into the following 3 groups: a control group to which PBS was injected; a non-Muse group to which 5×104 SSEA-3 negative non-Muse cells were injected; and a Muse group to which 5×104 SSEA-3 positive Muse cells were injected.