Disclosed are protocols, isolation means, and compositions of matter useful for identifying mesenchymal stem cells possessing enhanced clinical activity. In one embodiment, markers associated with said enhanced mesenchymal stem cell activity are utilized to identify donors whose mesenchymal stem cells possess superior efficacy compared to mesenchymal stem cells from donors who lack said markers associated with said enhanced efficacy. In one embodiment, said markers are utilized to select for mesenchymal stem cells possessing enhanced efficacy from in vitro cultures. In another embodiment, surfaces markers associated with said markers associated with enhanced efficacy are utilized to positively select for cells possessing enhanced efficacy. In another embodiment, the invention teaches markers whose expression is correlated with negative efficacy. Said markers can be utilized to exclude mesenchymal stem cell donors, or in vitro generated and/or isolated mesenchymal stem cells prior to clinical use.
