title: Menstrual Blood-Derived Stem Cells: In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Functional Effects.
abstract: Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that menstrual blood stands as a viable source of stem cells. Menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) are morphologically and functionally similar to cells directly extracted from the endometrium, and present dual expression of mesenchymal and embryonic cell markers, thus becoming interesting tools for regenerative medicine. Functional reports show higher proliferative and self-renewal capacities than bone marrow-derived stem cells, as well as successful differentiation into hepatocyte-like cells, glial-like cells, endometrial stroma-like cells, among others. Moreover, menstrual blood stem cells may be used with increased efficiency in reprogramming techniques for induced Pluripotent Stem cell (iPS) generation. Experimental studies have shown successful treatment of stroke, colitis, limb ischemia, coronary disease, Duchenne's muscular atrophy and streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes animal models with MenSCs. As we envision an off-the-shelf product for cell therapy, cryopreserved MenSCs appear as a feasible clinical product. Clinical applications, although still very limited, have great potential and ongoing studies should be disclosed in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. mcarolor@usp.br.
authors.forename: Maria Carolina Oliveira
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Trenton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lippert
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Hung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Sussannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaelber
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Sanberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA. cborlong@health.usf.edu.
authors.forename: Cesar V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Borlongan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003092:Colitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D008598:Menstruation / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Endometrial stem cells; Endometrium; Immunomodulation; Menstrual blood stem cells; Pluripotent stem cells; Regenerative medicine; Stem cell therapy