Basic Biology and Clinical Application of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: From Bench to Bedside
1Department of Hematology/Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immune Hematology, German Red Cross Blood Donor Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Sandhofstraße 1, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
3Center for Obstetrics and Paediatrics, Department of Paediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty, University of Hamburg, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
4Centro Ricerca “M. Tettamanti,” Clinica Pediatrica, Ospedale San Gerardo, Università Milano-Bicocca, Via Pergolesi 33, 20052 Monza, Italy
5Clinic of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Center for Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich Heine University, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Basic Biology and Clinical Application of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: From Bench to Bedside
Description
Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are nonhematopoietic cells capable of differentiating along at least three lineages: osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Bone marrow represents the main source of these cells, but they can also be derived from many other different tissues such as adipose tissue, umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord tissue, placenta, skin, dental pulp, and uterus. Their multilineage differentiation potential forms the basis for a multiplicity of applications in regenerative medicine, whereas their broad-spectrum immunomodulatory properties are harnessed in the treatment of inflammatory and (auto)immune diseases. However, in-depth studies of the basic biology of MSC represent a clear prerequisite for their further way into the clinic. In order to highlight the origin of progenitor cells of MSCs, the mechanisms of their immunomodulatory capacity, and their potential to differentiate into many tissue types, the following topics have to be covered in this special issue. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- The origin of MSCs
- Prospective isolation and expansion of MSCs from bone marrow (plastic adherence versus cell surface markers for their isolation)
- MSCs isolated from cord blood, cord, and placenta
- MSCs isolated from adipose and other tissues
- Ex vivo expansion of MSCs under serum-free conditions
- Migration and homing of MSCs
- Immunomodulatory properties of MSCs
- Clinical use of MSCs for immunosuppression
- Harnessing the differentiation potential of MSCs in regenerative medicine
- Cotransplantation of MSCs with hematopoietic stem cells as a strategy to improve their engraftment and multilineage differentiation (experimental and clinical evidence)
- Safety of the MSC administration
- Regulatory issues on expansion and release of MSCs preparations for clinical use
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