US Patent 7971592 Magnetic cell and method of using the same

In the present invention, because no examples are known of binding of magnetic particle to mesenchymal cell or chondrocyte which might be used in regenerative medicine, whether or not a cell having the magnetic particle bound thereto is retained in local by external magnetism after administration and whether or not the cell can exhibit intrinsic activity is studied. According to the present invention, a magnetic cell comprising mesenchymal cell or cultured chondrocyte having magnetic particle bound to the surface thereof is provided, and when the cell is administered in vivo and an external magnetic field is applied, the cell can be retained for a long time at a disease site. Moreover, a drug delivery system can be constructed by causing the magnetic cells to contain a drug.