Advances in Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration Using Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells, Biomaterials, and Signaling Molecules: Second Edition

Dear Colleagues,

The regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues is a serious clinical challenge, largely due to injury and disease being the leading causes of physical disability worldwide. Approved mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) and MSC products (i.e., extracellular vesicles) for stem cell-based therapy applications offer huge promise to rejuvenating musculoskeletal tissues and to triggering tissue repair and healing. In parallel, the discovery of specialised biomaterials and signalling molecules has opened novel therapeutic avenues as part of tissue engineering approaches. Presently, significant progress has been made in developing and optimizing the components of this therapeutic triad (cells, biomaterials, signalling molecules), but only a limited number of technologies have been successfully transferred into the clinical setting. Currently, efforts are focused on bringing closer basic science and cell-based product manufacturing techniques to potential clinical protocols. This Special Issue aims to present a state-of-the-art update on the use of MSC, biomaterials, and signalling molecules for musculoskeletal therapeutic applications.

We are pleased to invite you as a recognised expert in the field to contribute original articles, communications, and reviews covering the entire field of musculoskeletal regeneration research, including (but not limited to), the following:

• MSC and biomaterial functionalisation (e.g., cell phenotype-based purification, cell priming, gene-activated matrices);
• MSC-derived extracellular vesicle isolation and methods to reinforce their therapeutic signatures;
• Benefits and limitations of MSC versus MSC-derived extracellular vesicles for musculoskeletal applications;
• MSC and MSC-derived extracellular vesicle effects on immunomodulation and senescent cell clearance;
• Potent signalling molecules to promote healing, reduce inflammation, and stimulate cellular communication;
• Novel specialised biomaterials and scaffolds utilised to regenerate musculoskeletal tissues;
• Microphysiological systems (organ or tissue chips), are generated according to musculoskeletal tissue engineering principles, as drug testing models.

We look forward to hearing any questions you may have and hopefully receiving your contributions.

Dr. Dimitrios Kouroupis
Dr. Thomas M. Best
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• mesenchymal stromal/stem cells
• extracellular vesicles
• biomaterials
• signalling molecules
• microphysiological systems
• musculoskeletal regeneration
• immunomodulation
• cell therapy
• tissue engineering

• Advances in Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration Using Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells, Biomaterials, and Signaling Molecules in Cells (6 articles)