Yonsei Med J.  2012 Nov;53(6):1059-1067. 10.3349/ymj.2012.53.6.1059.

Neurorestoration Induced by Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms for Clinical Trials

• Seo JH
• Cho SR

• KMID: 1414244
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2012.53.6.1059

Abstract

Stem cells are emerging as therapeutic candidates in a variety of diseases because of their multipotent capacities. Among these, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow, umbilical cord blood or adipose tissue, comprise a population of cells that exhibit extensive proliferative potential and retain the ability to differentiate into multiple tissue-specific lineage cells including osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. MSCs have also been shown to enhance neurological recovery, although the therapeutic effects seem to be derived from an indirect paracrine effect rather than direct cell replacement. MSCs secrete neurotrophic factors, promote endogenous neurogenesis and angiogenesis, encourage synaptic connection and remyelination of damaged axons, decrease apoptosis, and regulate inflammation primarily through paracrine actions. Accordingly, MSCs may prevail as a promising cell source for cell-based therapy in neurological diseases.

Keyword

Mesenchymal stem cells; paracrine effect; cell-based therapy

MeSH Terms

Cell Differentiation/physiology
Clinical Trials as Topic
Humans
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/*cytology/physiology
Models, Biological
Nervous System Diseases/metabolism/*therapy
Neurogenesis/physiology
Tissue Therapy/methods

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Potential therapeutic mechanisms of neurorestoration using mesenchymal stem cells. MSCs secrete a variety of neurotrophic factors that promote endogenous neuronal growth, induce angiogenesis, neurogenesis and astroglial activation, encourage synaptic connection and axonal remyelination, decrease apoptosis, and regulate microglial activation primarily through paracrine actions. MSCs, mesenchymal stem cells.

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