Prospectively isolated CD73+CD105+CD271+ BM-MSCs from MDS patients displayed significantly reduced frequency within the BM, decreased clonogenic potential and abnormal morphology during culture as compared to their normal counterparts. In MDS patients the aforementioned BM-MSC population had normal osteogenic potential but demonstrated increased adipogenic capacity with decreased expression of the adipogenic cell fate inhibitor DLk1. This evidence concerns the gene NT5E and myelodysplastic syndrome.