The application of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of traumatic brain injury: Mechanisms, results, and problems

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells that can be derived from a wide variety of human tissues and organs. They can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes, and thus show great potential in regenerative medicine. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an organic injury to brain tissue with a high rate of disability and death caused by an external impact or concussive force acting directly or indirectly on the head. The current treatment of TBI mainly includes symptomatic, pharmacological, and rehabilitation treatment. Although some efficacy has been achieved, the definitive recovery effect on neural tissue is still limited. Recent studies have shown that MSC therapies are more effective than traditional treatment strategies due to their strong multi-directional differentiation potential, self-renewal capacity, and low immunogenicity and homing properties, thus MSCs are considered to play an important role and are an ideal cell for the treatment of injurious diseases, including TBI. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the role and mechanisms of MSCs and MSC-derived exosomes in the treatment of TBI, thereby providing new insights into the clinical applications of MSCs and MSC-derived exosomes in the treatment of central nervous system disorders.