Open AccessMechanisms underlying the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells in atherosclerosis
Author(s) -
Thomas Kirwin,
Ana Gomes,
Ravi Amin,
Annam Sufi,
Sahil Goswami,
Brian Wang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
regenerative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1746-076X
pISSN - 1746-0751
DOI - 10.2217/rme-2021-0024
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , stem cell , disease , vascular wall , identification (biology) , endothelial stem cell , medicine , stem cell therapy , regenerative medicine , vascular disease , biology , pathology , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , biochemistry , botany
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory condition resulting in the formation of fibrofatty plaques within the intimal layer of arterial walls. The identification of resident stem cells in the vascular wall has led to significant investigation into their contributions to health and disease, as well as their therapeutic potential. Of these, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most widely studied in human clinical trials, which have demonstrated a modulatory role in vascular physiology and disease. This review highlights the most recent knowledge surrounding the cell biology of MSCs, including their origin, identification markers and differentiation potential. The limitations concerning the implementation of MSC therapy are considered and novel solutions to overcome these are proposed.