Mesenchymal stem cells as an immunomodulatory therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are non-hematopoietic, multipotent progenitor cells which can be isolated from various human adult tissues. In recent years. MSCs have been shown to possess broad immunoregulatory capabilities, modulating both adaptive and innate immunity. This review discusses the documented immunomodulatory capabilities of the MSCs, the possible mechanisms underlying these functions and presents the potential of using this stem cell-based approach as an immunomodulatory tool for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.