• Application of mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
  • Yoda Yaghoubi,1 Majid Zamani,2 Mehdi Yousefi,3,* AliAkbar Movasaghpour,4 Amir Mehdizadeh,5 Alireza Pishgahi,6
    1. Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
    2. Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
    3. Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
    4. Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
    5. Endocrine Research Center, Tabriz university of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
    6. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Iran


  • Introduction: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent cells that participate in the tissue repair with mesenchymal origin such as bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon, and adipose, and they serve as supporting cells for hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. MSCs are obtained from various sources such as human umbilical cord blood. Due to the non-invasive collection method, higher proliferation, and lower immunogenicity, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUCMSC) have been considered for cell-based therapeutics and tissue engineering. However, the use of MSCs has some limitations. Therefore, finding cell free methods with the same cellular function seem to be crucial. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles with the size of 40-100 nm in diameter and a density of 1.13-1.19 g/mL containing growth factors, cytokines, proteins, lipids, DNA, and RNA that play important roles in cellular communication. Exosomes are also produced from various sources such as HUCMSC. The ability of the exosomes to repair damaged tissues and modulate immune responses has made the exosomes to be considered in regenerative medicine.
  • Methods: In this review, the last two decades published studies regarding the HUCMSC-EXO, isolation methods, identification, exosome compounds and their application in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and various diseases treatment including type 2 diabetes mellitus, spinal cord injury, cutaneous wound healing, and acute myocardial ischemia were studied.
  • Results: Various articles have shown that exosomes are capable to modify receptor cells. Additionally, theses vesicles can repair damaged tissues, stimulate neurogenesis, induce angiogenesis, and modulate immune responses.
  • Conclusion: Due to exosomes ability in acceptor cells communication and modification because of the presence of a variety of cytokines and growth factors, they can be considered as a novel strategy in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
  • Keywords: Extracellular Vesicles, Mesenchymal stem cells, Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine