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Review
. 2018;4(1):61-68.
doi: 10.1007/s40778-018-0118-8. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Fetal Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: an Opportunity for Prenatal Cellular Therapy

Rachel Sagar  1 , Lilian Walther-Jallow  2 , Anna L David  1   3 , Cecilia Götherström  2 , Magnus Westgren  2
Affiliations
Review

Fetal Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: an Opportunity for Prenatal Cellular Therapy

Rachel Sagar et al. Curr Stem Cell Rep. 2018.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The aim of the study is to provide an overview on the possibility of treating congenital disorders prenatally with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs).

Recent findings: MSCs have multilineage potential and a low immunogenic profile and are immunomodulatory and more easy to expand in culture. Their ability to migrate, engraft and differentiate, or act via a paracrine effect on target tissues makes MSCs candidates for clinical therapies. Fetal and extra-fetal MSCs offer higher therapeutic potential compared to MSCs derived from adult sources.

Summary: MSCs may be safely transplanted prenatally via ultrasound-guided injection into the umbilical cord. Due to these characteristics, fetal MSCs are of great interest in the field of in utero stem cell transplantation for treatment of congenital disease.

Keywords: In utero stem cell transplantation; Mesenchymal stromal cells; Prenatal therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical StandardsRachel Sagar, Lilian Walther-Jallow, Anna L. David, Cecilia Götherström, and Magnus Westgren are members of the BOOSTB4 consortium. Cecilia Götherström is the consortium leader for the study Boost Brittle Bones Before Birth (BOOSTB4). Magnus Westgren and Cecilia Götherström are shareholders in a company Cellprotect AB working on different stem cell therapies.This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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