Mesenchymal stromal cells in the development and therapy of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), the chronic lung disease of prematurity, remains a major healthcare burden. Despite great progresses in perinatal medicine over the past decades, no cure for BPD has been found. The complex pathophysiology of the disease further hampers the development of effective treatment strategies, but recent insights into the biology of mesenchymal stem (MSCs) and progenitor cells in lung development and disease have ignited the hope of preventing or even treating BPD. The promising results of pre-clinical studies have lead to the first early phase clinical trials. However, these treatments are experimental and much more needs to be learned about the mechanism of action and manufacturing of MSCs. In this mini review, we briefly summarize the role of resident and exogenous MSCs in the development and treatment of BPD.