title: Combined transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells for tissue engineering: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Combined cell implantation has been widely applied in tissue engineering in recent years. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to establish whether the combined transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) promotes angiogenesis and tissue repair, compared with transplantation of a single cell type, following tissue injury or during tissue regeneration.
  
  
  
  The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Chinese Biomedical Literature, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Eighteen controlled preclinical studies involving MSC and EPC transplantation in animal models of disease, or in coculture in vitro, were included in this review. The vessel density and other functional indexes, which were classified according to the organ source, were used to evaluate the efficiency of cotransplantation. Publication bias was assessed.
  
  
  
  There was no obvious difference in angiogenesis following combined cell transplantation (EPCs and MSCs) and transplantation of EPCs alone; however, an improvement in the function of damaged organs was observed following cotransplantation. In addition, combined cell transplantation significantly promoted tissue recovery in cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and during bone regeneration. Compared with combined transplantation (EPCs and MSCs) and transplantation of MSCs alone, cotransplantation significantly promoted angiogenesis and bone regeneration, as well as vessel revascularization and tissue repair in cerebrovascular disease; however, no obvious effects on cardiovascular disease were observed.
  
  
  
  As an exploratory field in the discipline of tissue engineering, MSC and EPC cotransplantation offers advantages, although it is essential to assess the feasibility of this approach before clinical trials can be performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Kunming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Xinxin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Jiaojiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Dongdong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Hongzhi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.
authors.forename: Manli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China. ocean123456@163.com.|Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China. ocean123456@163.com.
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D066026:Endothelial Progenitor Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Angiogenesis; Cell transplantation; Endothelial progenitor cells; Mesenchymal stem cells; Meta-analysis; Systematic review; Tissue engineering