Current Status of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells for Treatment of Neurological Diseases
Milena Botelho Pereira Soares, Renata Guedes de Jesus Gonçalves, Juliana Ferreira Vasques, Almir Jordão da Silva‐Junior, Fernanda Gubert, Girlaine Café Santos, Thaís Alves de Santana, Gabriela Louise Almeida Sampaio, Daniela Nascimento Silva, Massimo Dominici, Rosalia Méndez‐Otero
Abstract
Neurological disorders include a wide spectrum of clinical conditions affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems. For these conditions, which affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, generally limited or no treatments are available, and cell-based therapies have been intensively investigated in preclinical and clinical studies. Among the available cell types, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have been widely studied but as yet no cell-based treatment exists for neurological disease. We review current knowledge of the therapeutic potential of MSC-based therapies for neurological diseases, as well as possible mechanisms of action that may be explored to hasten the development of new and effective treatments. We also discuss the challenges for culture conditions, quality control, and the development of potency tests, aiming to generate more efficient cell therapy products for neurological disorders.