Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapies: Challenges and Enhancement Strategies

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are popular therapeutic candidates among researchers. MSCs have been used in many preclinical and clinical studies and their safety profile and efficacy are well documented. Despite the many advantages of using MSCs in research and treatment, researchers face several challenges and limitations in MSC cell-based therapies. Over the years, many studies have explored enhancement strategies to improve the therapeutic effects of MSCs. These enhancement strategies range from generating MSCs from alternative sources, genetically modifying MSCs and priming or preconditioning MSCs in specific culture conditions before applying MSCs in treatment. On the other hand, cell-free therapies are emerging and gaining popularity in recent years. This review gives an overview of the therapeutic properties of MSCs and provides an in-depth discussion on the challenges and enhancement strategies in MSC cell-based therapies.