Nanotechnology for mesenchymal stem cell therapies

Mesenchymal stemcells (MSC) display great proliferative, differentiative, chemotactic, and immune-modulatory properties required to promote tissue repair. Several clinical trials based on the use of MSC are currently under-way for therapeutic purposes. The aim of this article is to examine the current trends and potential impact of nanotechnology in MSC-driven regenerative medicine. Nanoparticle-based approaches are used as powerful carrier systems for the targeted delivery of bioactive molecules to ensure MSC long-term maintenance in vitro and to enhance their regenerative potential. Nanostructured materials have been developed to recapitulate the stem cell niche within a tissue and to instruct MSC toward the creation of regeneration-permissive environment. Finally, the capability of MSC to migrate toward the site of injury/inflammation has allowed for the development of diagnostic imaging systems able to monitor transplanted stem cell bio-distribution, toxicity, and therapeutic effectiveness. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.