Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells which can support hematopoiesis, have immunomodulatory property, may differentiate into osteocytes, chondrocytes and adipocytes, and specifically migrate to damage sites and tumor site, but the mechanism involved in the regulation of migration of MSCs still remains unelucidated. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying MSCs migration holds the promise of developing novel clinical strategies which can deliver antitumor proteins to suppress tumor growth. In this review, the MSC migration in vitro mediated by growth factors, chemokines, adhesion molecules and toll-like receptors are summarized.