New Advances in Mesenchymal Stromal Cells as Therapeutic Tools

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past few decades, the need for alternative treatments for various diseases has prompted scientists to focus their attention on cell-based therapies and regenerative medicine. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may be isolated from various anatomical sites, including bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord. These cells exhibit potent paracrine properties based on the release of different mediators, including regulatory factors, chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, and nucleic acids that can be secreted or packaged into extracellular vesicles, and are also implicated in the therapeutic effects of MSCs. The process underlying these effects likely involves the migration and homing of MSCs toward inflamed and injured tissue. During tissue healing, MSCs modulate immune responses and support tissue repair and regeneration. Advances in separation, culture, expansion, and biobanking techniques for MSCs have enabled their large-scale clinical application. This progress has been accompanied by rapid clinical utilization of MSCs in regenerative and immunomodulatory approaches to treat or prevent diseases.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together contributions from specialists in cellular biology, stem cells, immunology, and bioengineering on the latest advances in understanding of the mechanisms of action underlying the therapeutic effect of MSCs, in clinical applications of MSCs for treatment of inflammatory and degenerative diseases/conditions, in developing bioengineering/priming solutions to enhance MSC effectiveness, and in establishing bioprocessing platforms for large-scale MSC production for clinical applications.

We welcome the submission of original research and review articles that cover but are not limited to the following topics:

• Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying therapeutic effects of MSCs;
• Interactions between MSCs and other cell types in vitro and in vivo;
• Bioengineering/priming solutions to boost the functions of MSCs;
• Bioengineering strategies for improving administration of MSCs;
• Therapeutic applications of MSCs for inflammatory and degenerative diseases;
• Establishment of bioprocessing platforms for MSC production in a large scale for clinical applications;
• Cellular and molecular changes induced in MSCs during the bioprocess that may compromise their therapeutic potential;
• MSC-derived products (e.g., soluble factors and extracellular vesicles) as mediators of immunomodulation and tissue repair.

Dr. Kelen Cristina Ribeiro Malmegrim
Guest Editor

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