Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for ischemic stroke: A look into treatment mechanism and therapeutic potential

Stroke, a global disease with a high disability rate, has limited options for functional rehabilitation and results in an adverse impact on patients’ lives. In recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have become a new focus of treatment owing to their potential for neuroregeneration. MSCs have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy capable of cell migration, angiogenesis, immunomodulation, neuroprotection and neural circuit reconstruction. The paracrine action of MSCs can also exert neurotrophic effects and improve the functional recovery. This review shows the transplantation protocol for MSCs, discusses the potential therapeutic mechanisms, and summarizes clinical trials on MSCs for treating ischemic stroke. The current proofs show that MSC therapy for ischemic stroke is safe and feasible. The timing and optimal dose of MSC administration are the main challenges in its clinical use. Although still under research, MSC therapy has the potential to be a new therapeutic approach for neurological recovery from ischemic stroke in the future.