MSCs in reconstructive surgery

Soft tissue defects remain a major challenge in modern medicine and represent a significant burden, affecting not only physical and mental health but also productivity, healthcare expenditure, and long-term morbidity. Even under optimal conditions, the healing process leads to some element of fibrosis or scarring. Cell- based treatments involve the transplantation of progenitor/stem cells to patients through local or systemic delivery and offer a novel approach to many diseases. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult progenitor cells of great interest as cellular therapeutics because numerous studies have shown that MSCs, derived from bone marrow and other tissues, possess the ability to suppress activation and proliferation of immune cells, differentiate along multiple tissue lineages, and participate in the tissue healing process through a variety of other paracrine mechanisms. Better understanding of these potential interactions could translate to the development of clinically relevant, novel cell-based therapies for soft tissue reconstruction. The clinical role of tissue-derived MSCs, though not well understood, holds promise for many applications in novel cell therapies and regenerative medicine.