Five Decades Later, Are Mesenchymal Stem Cells Still Relevant?

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells are culture-derived mesodermal progenitors isolatable from all vascularized tissues. In spite of multiple fundamental, pre-clinical and clinical studies, the native identity and role in tissue repair of MSCs have long remained elusive, with MSC selection in vitro from total cell suspensions essentially unchanged as a mere primary culture for half a century. Recent investigations have helped understand the tissue origin of these progenitor cells, and uncover alternative effects of MSCs on tissue healing via growth factor secretion and interaction with the immune system. In this review, we describe current trends in MSC biology and discuss how these may improve the use of these therapeutic cells in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Keywords: adventitia; cell therapy; mesenchymal stem cell; pericyte; tissue engineering.

FIGURE 1

MSC progenitors are located in capillaries and large vessels. Immunofluorescence analysis of adipose tissue (A) and schematic (B) showing pericytes expressing CD146 in close contact with the endothelium stained with the Ulex europaeus lectin. Blue marks DAPI staining of cell nuclei. Adventitial cells expressing CD34 are located in the adventitial layer of veins and arteries (C,D). Endothelial cells appear yellow/green because they express both CD34 and the Ulex receptor. Schematics were created with Biorender.com.