New Insights into Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Dear Colleagues,

MSCs, multipotent and non-hematopoietic mesenchymal stem/stromal cells, were first described by hematologist A. Friedenstein more than 50 years ago. Since then, their roles in various tissue-related processes, such as homeostasis, differentiation, signaling, and many others, have been investigated. Since MSCs are present in all organs and tissues, they play important roles in tissue regeneration processes as well as in the development of many chronic autoimmune or degenerative diseases that have been shown to be related to the dysfunction or depletion of MSCs.

Recently, multiple studies in vitro, as well as in vivo, have demonstrated MSCs regulating basic cellular processes, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, etc., having broad therapeutic applications due to their low immune rejection. However, despite the direct use of MSCs in cell-based therapy, MSCs also act as paracrine regulators, i.e., MSCs secrete cytokines, hormones, extracellular vesicles, and other compounds, preventing the inconveniences associated with cell-based therapy, such as cell survival, heterogeneity, and functioning.

In addition, the multiple cell–cell-based and paracrine effects of MSCs and/or subpopulations also allow them to be investigated in combination with various tissue engineering scaffolds, hydrogels, or other cell–matrix biomodel systems in vitro and in vivo, adjusting various types of intracellular and extracellular stimuli in order to improve therapeutic applicability. The prevalence and multifunctionality of MSCs still do not lose scientific interest, forcing the search for new methods of investigation.

Dr. Daiva Bironaité
Guest Editor

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