Immunogenicity and Immunomodulation of Fetal Stem Cells

Abstract

Multipotent stromal cells or mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are somatic cells endowed with differentiative, regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. MSC are accessible from multiple autologous and allogeneic sources and their safety, when used in the transplantation setting, make them an ideal candidate for a wide variety of regenerative and immunomodulatory cell therapies. However, our limited understanding of their ontogeny, physiological roles, and immunomudulatory behaviours after transplantation currently limits the efficacy of MSC based therapies aimed at dampening the immune response during autoimmune disease. MSC-like cells can be procured from many organs and tissues, and from both adult and fetal sources, but it is unclear how MSC from these sources differ in terms of their immunomodulatory potency. The goal of this chapter is to review the MSC-secreted effectors and signaling pathways that result in low immunogenicity and immunomodulatory function that can be exploited for the development of novel MSC-based therapies.