Mesenchymal stem cells and the angiogenic regulatory network with potential incorporation and modification for therapeutic development

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed in regenerative medicine, especially for angiogenic purposes, due to their potential to self-renew, differentiate, and regulate the microenvironment. Peripheral vascular diseases, which are associated with reduced blood supply, have been treated but not cured. An effective therapy is to recover blood supply via vessel regeneration in the affected area, and MSCs appear to be promising for such conditions. Several studies aimed to explore the role of MSCs in performing angiogenesis and have revealed numerous potential methods to enhance MSC capacity in vessel formation. Efforts have been made to modify standard MSCs to optimize their prospective characteristics. Thus, understanding the mechanism underlying MSC angiogenic potential, and learning how to control their effect in the in vivo environment is critical for success in clinical settings. This review covers the angiogenesis process and discusses the role of some of the key angiogenic regulators. Possible techniques to enhance the angiogenic capacity of MSCs are also mentioned to suggest potential methods for therapeutic application.