Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells - an update

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells - an update

Edited by: Dr Richard Schäfer and Dr Selim Kuci

A cross-journal collection published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, BMC Biology, BMC Developmental Biology and BMC Medicine.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells (MSCs) hold great promise as a cell-based therapy in the treatment of immune disorders and in regenerative medicine. Despite decades of extensive research in elucidating the role of MSCs in maintenance of the hematopoietic niche and in deciphering MSCs heterogeneity, it is the latter that has been posing a perpetual challenge for our understanding of MSC biology and translation to the clinic. In addition, MSCs subpopulations, which may account for MSC heterogeneity, remain poorly characterized at morphological and functional level. In particular, the implications for development of MSC therapies as well as the mechanisms through which MSCs interact with the diseased organism remain unclear.

In this cross-journal series, we present a collection of state-of-the-art articles on the basic biology of MSCs as well as translational and clinical aspects. It is the major goal of this article collection to give an update on these relevant topics, which may trigger future studies in order to broaden the current knowledge and achieve significant progress in the field. Selected research articles will be included in addition to invited reviews and comment.

This series of articles has not been sponsored. All articles have undergone each journal’s standard peer review process overseen by the journal Editors. The journal Editors declare no competing interests.

1. Content type:Review

   Mechanisms of mesenchymal stem/stromal cell function

   The past decade has seen an explosion of research directed toward better understanding of the mechanisms of mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) function during rescue and repair of injured organs and tissues. ...

   Authors:Jeffrey L. Spees, Ryang Hwa Lee and Carl A. Gregory

   Citation:Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2016 7:125

   Published on: 31 August 2016

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2. Content type:Review

   Biodistribution, migration and homing of systemically applied mesenchymal stem/stromal cells

   Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are increasingly used as an intravenously applied cellular therapeutic. They were found to be potent in situations such as tissue repair or severe inflammation. Still, dat...

   Authors:Johannes Leibacher and Reinhard Henschler

   Citation:Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2016 7:7

   Published on: 11 January 2016

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3. Content type:Review

   Bioprocessing strategies for the large-scale production of human mesenchymal stem cells: a review

   Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), also called mesenchymal stromal cells, have been of great interest in regenerative medicine applications because of not only their differentiation potential but also their...

   Authors:Krishna M. Panchalingam, Sunghoon Jung, Lawrence Rosenberg and Leo A. Behie

   Citation:Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2015 6:225

   Published on: 23 November 2015

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4. Content type:Question and Answer

   Q&A: Mesenchymal stem cells — where do they come from and is it important?

   Mesenchymal stem — or stromal — cells (MSCs) have been administered in hundreds of clinical trials for multiple indications, making them some of the most commonly used selected regenerative cells. Paradoxically, ...

   Authors:Iain R. Murray and Bruno Péault

   Citation:BMC Biology 2015 13:99

   Published on: 23 November 2015

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5. Content type:Research article

   The developmental basis of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs)

   Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells (MSCs) define a population of progenitor cells capable of giving rises to at least three mesodermal lineages in vitro, the chondrocytes, osteoblasts and adipocytes. The validity ...

   Authors:Guojun Sheng

   Citation:BMC Developmental Biology 2015 15:44

   Published on: 20 November 2015

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6. Content type:Review

   Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells and platelet-rich plasma: stem cell transplantation methods that enhance stemness

   Because of their ease of isolation and relative abundance, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) are a particularly attractive autologous cell source for various therapeutic purposes. ASCs retain a hig...

   Authors:Morikuni Tobita, Satoshi Tajima and Hiroshi Mizuno

   Citation:Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2015 6:215

   Published on: 5 November 2015

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7. Content type:Review

   Where is the common ground between bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells from different donors and species?

   Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) feature promising potential for cellular therapies, yet significant progress in development of MSC therapeutics and assays is hampered because of remarkable MSC heterogene...

   Authors:Elena Jones and Richard Schäfer

   Citation:Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2015 6:143

   Published on: 18 August 2015

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8. Content type:Review

   Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells as a delivery platform in cell and gene therapies

   Regenerative medicine relying on cell and gene therapies is one of the most promising approaches to repair tissues. Multipotent mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC), a population of progenitors committing into...

   Authors:Naomi D’souza, Filippo Rossignoli, Giulia Golinelli, Giulia Grisendi, Carlotta Spano, Olivia Candini, Satoru Osturu, Fabio Catani, Paolo Paolucci, Edwin M. Horwitz and Massimo Dominici

   Citation:BMC Medicine 2015 13:186

   Published on: 12 August 2015

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