For years, it has been clear that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a leading type of stem cell being investigated for therapeutic applications, as they have the potential to treat a wide range of acute and degenerative diseases. In addition to secreting factors that can stimulate tissue repair, MSCs can substantially alter their microenvironment, exerting effects that are both anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic.
MSCs are also advantageous over other stem cells types, because they avoid the ethical issues that surround embryonic stem cell research and appear to be immuno-privileged. Importantly, MSCs also well-suited for use in the exponential growth area of 3D printing, because of their unusual capacity to form structural tissues. [Read more…]