Stem Cells and Beyond: Innovations in Tissue Repair and Regeneration

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Stem Cells".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 1831

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail
Guest Editor
Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College of London, London NW3 2QG, UK
Interests: regenerative surgery; fat grafting; adipose-derived stem cells; stromal vascular fraction; platelet rich plasma; exosomes; cytokines; growth factors; polynucleotides; fibrosis; scar; inflammation; wound healing; ageing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Regenerative medicine has emerged as a transformative field, offering promising solutions for tissue repair and regeneration across a wide range of conditions, including those resulting from injury, aging, or degenerative diseases.

Stem cells, including Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs), Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), and induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs), have shown great potential due to their capacity for multilineage differentiation and their ability to influence the tissue microenvironment through the release of bioactive molecules. These cells and their secretomes—such as cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular matrix components—play crucial roles in modulating cellular behavior and promoting tissue regeneration. In addition to cell-based therapies, there is growing interest in regenerative treatments that rely on the secretome, such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), exosomes, and polynucleotides. These treatments harness the regenerative power of bioactive molecules to stimulate tissue regeneration without the need for live cells.

This Special Issue, titled “Stem Cells and Beyond: Innovations in Tissue Repair and Regeneration”, highlights the latest advancements in cell therapies, as well as emerging applications of regenerative treatments such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), exosomes, and polynucleotides, for tissue regeneration.

By exploring novel strategies that combine stem-cell-based therapies with biomolecular signaling, this Special Issue aims to foster new insights into tissue regeneration strategies over a broad array of clinical applications, from wound healing to organ repair and beyond.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Aurora Almadori
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adipose-derived stem cells
  • mesenchymal stem cells
  • induced pluripotent stem cells
  • stromal vascular fraction
  • platelet-rich plasma
  • exosomes
  • polynucleotides
  • cytokines
  • growth factors
  • extracellular matrix
  • cell signaling
  • wound healing
  • ageing
  • immune response
  • inflammation
  • scarring

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

23 pages, 2682 KiB  
Article
Preclinical Assessment in Juvenile Sheep of an Allogeneic Bone Tissue Engineering Product with Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
by Raquel Cabrera-Pérez, Irene Carreras-Sánchez, Ángela Roig-Molina, Alba López-Fernández, Irene Portas-Torres, Laura Batlle-Morera, Roberto Vélez and Joaquim Vives
Cells 2025, 14(12), 862; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14120862 - 7 Jun 2025
Viewed by 444
Abstract
Secondary osteonecrosis (ON) is a common complication in paediatric cancer survivors. Combining multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with core decompression surgery halts disease progression and stimulates bone regeneration. However, the success of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) requires versatile “off-the-shelf” tissue engineering products [...] Read more.
Secondary osteonecrosis (ON) is a common complication in paediatric cancer survivors. Combining multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with core decompression surgery halts disease progression and stimulates bone regeneration. However, the success of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) requires versatile “off-the-shelf” tissue engineering products (TEPs). This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of TEPs loaded with allogeneic MSCs from Wharton’s jelly (WJ-MSCs) in a large-animal model of bone regeneration to support a paediatric investigational plan for ON patients. WJ-MSC-laden fibrin-based hydrogels combined with a synthetic bone substitute (PRO-DENSETM) were tested in 16 juvenile sheep (8 males and 8 females) distributed in four experimental groups. Each animal received four cylindrical bone defects in the femoral and tibial epiphyses and was assessed at 6 and 12 weeks. Safety was confirmed, and bone regeneration was observed across all groups. A combination of WJ-MSCs with PRO-DENSETM led to improved histological scores, osteogenesis, and construct integration. Trabecular bone volume also increased more in cellular groups over time. However, effects were inconsistent across groups, reflecting the variability seen in clinical trials and highlighting the significant impact of factors such as immunogenetic compatibility, MSC batch potency, and interaction with the recipient’s microenvironment on the therapeutic effectiveness and successful clinical translation of allogeneic ATMPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Stem Cells and Beyond: Innovations in Tissue Repair and Regeneration)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 1638 KiB  
Review
Targeting Muscle Regeneration with Small Extracellular Vesicles from Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells—A Review
by Lucas Fornari Laurindo, Enzo Pereira de Lima, Adriano Cressoni Araújo, Victória Dogani Rodrigues, Jefferson Aparecido Dias, Marcos Barbosa Tavares Filho, Debora Aparecida Pires de Campos Zuccari, Lívia Fornari Laurindo, Maria Angélica Miglino, Eduardo Federighi Baisi Chagas, Claudemir Gregório Mendes, Rosa Direito, Vítor Engrácia Valenti and Sandra Maria Barbalho
Cells 2025, 14(10), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14100683 - 9 May 2025
Viewed by 997
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures released by cells carrying diverse biomolecules involved in intercellular communication. Small EVs are abundant in body fluids, playing a key role in cell signaling. Their natural occurrence and therapeutic potential, especially in the context of muscular disorders, [...] Read more.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures released by cells carrying diverse biomolecules involved in intercellular communication. Small EVs are abundant in body fluids, playing a key role in cell signaling. Their natural occurrence and therapeutic potential, especially in the context of muscular disorders, make them a significant area of research. Sarcopenia, characterized by progressive muscle fiber loss, represents a pathological state in which EVs could offer therapeutic benefits, reducing morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have proposed an interplay between adipose tissue (AT) and skeletal muscle regarding sarcopenia pathology. AT dysregulation, as seen in obesity, contributes to skeletal muscle loss in a multifactorial way. While AT-derived stem cell (ATDSC) small EVs have been implicated in musculoskeletal homeostasis, their precise action in muscle regeneration remains incompletely understood. In this context, ATDSC-derived small EVs can stimulate skeletal muscle regeneration through improved proliferation and migration of muscle cells, enhancement of muscular perfusion, improvement of tendon and nerve regeneration, stimulation of angiogenesis, and promotion of myogenic differentiation. However, they can also increase skeletal muscle loss. Notably, this is the first comprehensive review to systematically examine the role of ATDSC-derived small EVs in sarcopenia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Stem Cells and Beyond: Innovations in Tissue Repair and Regeneration)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop