Stem cells as delivery vehicles for regenerative medicine-challenges and perspectives

Abstract

The use of stem cells as carriers for therapeutic agents is an appealing modality for targeting tissues or organs of interest. Combined delivery of cells together with various information molecules as therapeutic agents has the potential to enhance, modulate or even initiate local or systemic repair processes, increasing stem cell efficiency for regenerative medicine applications. Stem-cell-mediated delivery of genes, proteins or small molecules takes advantage of the innate capability of stem cells to migrate and home to injury sites. As the native migratory properties are affected by in vitro expansion, the existent methods for enhancing stem cell targeting capabilities (modified culture methods, genetic modification, cell surface engineering) are described. The role of various nanoparticles in equipping stem cells with therapeutic small molecules is revised together with their class-specific advantages and shortcomings. Modalities to circumvent common challenges when designing a stem-cell-mediated targeted delivery system are described as well as future prospects in using this approach for regenerative medicine applications.

Efficacy and safety of autologous stem cell transplantation for decompensated liver cirrhosis: A retrospective cohort study

“…Follow-up of the fate of administered stem cells using combined imaging methods has been proposed as a method to discriminate tumorigenic transformation. In the future, this technology can be used to monitor liver cancer after SCT[ 36 , 37 ].…”

Stem Cell Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases: How Do Stem Cells Bypass the Blood-Brain Barrier and Home to the Brain?

“…The homing process begins with MSCs decelerating and coming into contact with the endothelial wall by tethering to the selectins expressed by endothelial cells and starts to roll along the vasculature wall [ 30 , 31 ]. Next, integrin receptors, like VLA-4, is activated in response to G-protein-coupled chemokine receptors such as stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-) 1, which binds ligands expressed by MSCs such as CXCR4 or CXCR7 [ 29 , 30 ]. Following activation of integrin, MSCs arrest on the endothelial membrane as integrins like VLA-4 expressed by MSC bind with VCAM-1 on endothelial cells [ 32 ].…”

Decellularized adipose matrix provides an inductive microenvironment for stem cells in tissue regeneration

“…Soft tissue defects caused by trauma, tumors, and aging are often seen in clinical work, and tissue regeneration is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges. Stem cell therapy has always played an important role in the field of regenerative medicine[ 1 - 3 ]. Stem cells achieve tissue metabolism and regeneration of post-traumatic defects through two unique attributes: (1) The ability to self-renew in the process of symmetric division; and (2) The ability to multidirectionally differentiate in the process of asymmetric division[ 4 ].…”