Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are versatile stromal cells. They can turn into bone, cartilage, and fat cells. They are harvested from bone marrow, fat, umbilical cord (Wharton's jelly), placenta, and dental pulp. Cord-derived MSCs are increasingly preferred for off-the-shelf (allogeneic) use. They trigger less immune reaction and multiply faster. Early on, people assumed MSCs worked by settling into damaged tissue and replacing it. The evidence now says otherwise: transplanted MSCs rarely stick around. Instead, they mostly work by signaling (a paracrine effect). They secrete cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular vesicles, and even hand off mitochondria. Those signals calm local immune responses, reduce scarring, support new blood vessels, and quiet senescent cells. In age-related and chronic disease, MSCs have been tested in trials for many conditions. These include osteoarthritis, graft-versus-host disease, Crohn's disease, heart failure, COPD, and frailty. Graft-versus-host disease has the most regulatory acceptance in some places. For aging specifically, small trials report better frailty scores. But the studies are too small and short to tell you much for sure. The rules differ by region. The EMA and FDA treat these as advanced-therapy medicines (ATMPs) or biologics. Many products on offer operate outside approved channels. And long-term safety, including any cancer risk from repeated dosing, is not fully established.

Last reviewed: June 22, 2026

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