Journal of Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Abstract

The Impact of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Source on Proliferation, Differentiation, Immunomodulation and Therapeutic Efficacy

Hui-Yun Cheng, Nicolae Ghetu, Christopher G Wallace, Fu-Chan Wei and Shuen-Kuei Liao

Since their discovery almost 50 years ago, mesenchymal stem cells have shown great clinical potential in various clinical scenarios owing to their multilineage differentiation potential as well as immunomodulatory properties. However, recent studies indicate that properties of MSCs appear to be affected by factors such as their source. In this review, we focus on recent literature reporting direct comparisons of MSCs derived from different tissue sources, which include fetal MSCs from amniotic fluid, cord blood, umbilical cord and placenta, and adult MSCs from bone marrow, adipose tissue, heart, lung, synovial membrane and peripheral blood. It is demonstrated that MSCs from different sources showed variation in proliferation capacity, differentiation to various cells, immunomodulation capabilities, and efficacy of cell therapies in different scenarios. Furthermore, studies on MSCs derived from allogeneic or autologous origins revealed that allogeneic MSCs induced immunogenicity, potentially influencing their in vivo durability and thus efficacy when utilized as cell therapies: syngeneic (ie. autologous in inbred animals) or recipients’ adipose-tissue-MSCs had better efficacy than allogeneic counterparts in inducing donor-specific tolerance in allotransplantation animal models. Therefore, careful consideration of the MSC source is recommended when a specific application is sought.