title: Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Regenerative Medicine: Can Preconditioning Strategies Improve Therapeutic Efficacy?
abstract: Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are becoming increasingly important for the development of cell therapeutics in regenerative medicine. Featuring immunomodulatory potential as well as secreting a variety of trophic factors, MSCs showed remarkable therapeutic effects in numerous preclinical disease models. However, sustainable translation of MSC therapies to the clinic is hampered by heterogeneity of MSCs and non-standardized in vitro culture technologies. Moreover, potent MSC therapeutics require MSCs with maximum regenerative capacity. There is growing evidence that in vitro preconditioning strategies of MSCs can optimize their therapeutic potential. In the following we will discuss achievements and challenges of the development of MSC therapies in regenerative medicine highlighting specific in vitro preconditioning strategies prior to cell transplantation to increase their therapeutic efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, German Red Cross Blood Donor Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen gGmbH, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, German Red Cross Blood Donor Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen gGmbH, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spohn
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Goethe University, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
authors.forename: Patrick C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Baer
keywords: Bone marrow; Stem cell transplantation; Stem cells; Stroke