Immunoregulatory Function of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Tissue Repair and Regeneration
Prof. Yong Jian Geng, MD, PhD E-Mail
Professor (retired) of Medicine, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern School of Medicine, and Professional Member, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a class of self-renewable multipotent stem cells, which exist in most of adult tissues and organs. In a juxtacrine or paracrine manner, MSCs possess an immunoregulatory property, involved in phenotypic change and injury-response of immune cells during the process of tissue repair and regeneration. In response to tissue injury and environmental insults, MSCs produce various pro-angiogenic factors and promote neo-vascularization in wound healing, and promote repair and regeneration. This special issue is aimed to update current knowledge and provide new research evidence about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the crosstalk between MSCs and immune cells in tissue repair and regeneration.
We welcome reports from both basic laboratory research and clinical investigation as well as minireview and processing on related topics.
Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells, immune regulation, stroma, wound healing, cytokines, vascularization, epigenetics