Role of mesenchymal stem cells in regenerative medicine: application to bone and cartilage repair.
BACKGROUND
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent cells with the ability to differentiate into mesenchyme-derived cells including osteoblasts and chondrocytes.


OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview and expert opinion on the in vivo ability of MSC to home into tissues, their regenerative properties and potential applications for cell-based therapies to treat bone and cartilage disorders.


METHODS
Data sources including the PubMed database, abstract booklets and conference proceedings were searched for publications pertinent to MSC and their properties with emphasis on the in vivo studies and clinical use in cartilage and bone regeneration and repair. The search included the most current information possible.


CONCLUSIONS
MSC can migrate to injured tissues and some of their reparative properties are mediated by paracrine mechanisms including their immunomodulatory actions. MSC possess a critical potential in regenerative medicine for the treatment of skeletal diseases, such as osteoarthritis or fracture healing failure, where treatments are partially effective or palliative.
Granero-Molto
Froilan
F
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, 3341 Medical Biomolecular Research Building, 103 Mason Farm Road Campus Box: 7039, Chapel Hill North Carolina 27599-7239, USA.
Weis
Jared A
JA
Longobardi
Lara
L
Spagnoli
Anna
A
D000818:Animals; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends