Abstract/Summary

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most intensely studied type of adult stem cells. Their presence in virtually all vascularised tissues, easy accessibility, good tolerability and safety profile along with the lack of ethical issues has raised a considerable clinical and commercial interest. In this review, we describe the changing views on this cell population and highlight the paradigm shift in its translational use from direct transplantation to the application of MSC-derived paracrine factors with MSCs acting as `Medicinal Signalling Cells` or natural biofactories. Moreover, we summarise current strategies aiming at replacing MSC transplantation with the use of soluble factors and extracellular vesicles secreted by this clinically relevant stem cell type.