Mesenchymal stem cells in wound repair, tissue homeostasis, and aging

Abstract

Wound healing and scar remodeling are complex, multicellular processes that involve coordinated regulation of many cell types andvarious cytokines. The repair capacity gradually decreases with aging, constituting a severe health problem that frequently affects aged individuals. The decrease in cell number and function of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is most likely responsible for thedecline of tissue regeneration and wound healing. MSCs are endowed with the unique capacity for self-renewal and differentiation into histogenetically distinct cell typesrequired for tissue repair. In addition, by their potential to sense danger signals at the wound site, MSCs are able to adaptively respond to infections and unrestrained macrophage activation and thus control inflammation. These properties make them promising for the treatment of chronic nonhealing wounds in the elderly or even for rejuvenation of the skin and other organs. This review will focus on the physiological and therapeutic roles of MSCs in cutaneous wound healing in the context of age-related chronic wounds and will help to decipher how the aging process affects the overall wound repair capacity of MSCs.