Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Generalities and Clinical Significance in Feline and Canine Medicine

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Veterinary regenerative medicine is an area of active research in which mesenchymal stem cells are applied. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)are cells that can be obtained from various adult tissues; these cells have an extraordinary quality of being able to self-renew and develop into other cells. MSCs can be used to treat orthopaedic conditions in dogs, asthma, kidney disease, chronic gingivostomatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease in cats. Most studies have used adipose tissue-derived MSCs because they are easily obtainable and easy to work with. However, other stem cells from different tissues may be more suitable for treating certain diseases. In this manuscript, we report the generalities and the use of mesenchymal stem cells in cats and dogs, and we believe that the ongoing research in this field will eventually bring us to a point where stem cell treatments for currently untreatable diseases will become a reality. Finally, veterinary medicine now has access to new treatments, giving hope for a cure to illnesses in our furry friends. ABSTRACT: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells: they can proliferate like undifferentiated cells and have the ability to differentiate into different types of cells. A considerable amount of research focuses on the potential therapeutic benefits of MSCs, such as cell therapy or tissue regeneration, and MSCs are considered powerful tools in veterinary regenerative medicine. They are the leading type of adult stem cells in clinical trials owing to their immunosuppressive, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their low teratogenic risk compared with pluripotent stem cells. The present review details the current understanding of the fundamental biology of MSCs. We focus on MSCs’ properties and their characteristics with the goal of providing an overview of therapeutic innovations based on MSCs in canines and felines.