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Review
. 2019 Jul;37(7):855-864.
doi: 10.1002/stem.3016. Epub 2019 Apr 30.

Concise Review: Mesenchymal Stem Cells: From Roots to Boost

Anna Andrzejewska  1 , Barbara Lukomska  1 , Miroslaw Janowski  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Concise Review: Mesenchymal Stem Cells: From Roots to Boost

Anna Andrzejewska et al. Stem Cells. 2019 Jul.

Abstract

It was shown as long as half a century ago that bone marrow is a source of not only hematopoietic stem cells, but also stem cells of mesenchymal tissues. Then the term "mesenchymal stem cells" (MSCs) was coined in the early 1990s, and more than a decade later, the criteria for defining MSCs have been released by the International Society for Cellular Therapy. The easy derivation from a variety of fetal and adult tissues and undemanding cell culture conditions made MSCs an attractive research object. It was followed by the avalanche of reports from preclinical studies on potentially therapeutic properties of MSCs, such as immunomodulation, trophic support and capability for a spontaneous differentiation into connective tissue cells, and differentiation into the majority of cell types upon specific inductive conditions. Although ontogenesis, niche, and heterogeneity of MSCs are still under investigation, there is a rapid boost of attempts at clinical applications of MSCs, especially for a flood of civilization-driven conditions in so quickly aging societies, not only in the developed countries, but also in the populous developing world. The fields of regenerative medicine and oncology are particularly extensively addressed by MSC applications, in part due to the paucity of traditional therapeutic options for these highly demanding and costly conditions. There are currently almost 1,000 clinical trials registered worldwide at ClinicalTrials.gov, and it seems that we are starting to witness the snowball effect with MSCs becoming a powerful global industry; however, the spectacular effects of MSCs in the clinic still need to be shown. Stem Cells 2019;37:855-864.

Keywords: Clinical; Differentiation; History; Immunomodulation; Mesenchymal stem cells; Paracrine activity.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
The roots of research on bone marrow-derived stem cells of connective tissue, which has been then named: mesenchymal stem cells
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
The schematic representation of immunomodulatory capabilities of MSCs
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
The mechanisms mediating MSC-dependent trophic support
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
The differentiation potential of MSCs
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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