Maintenance stem cells or mesenchymal stem cell: Decoding their role in osteoarthritis of knee

Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) therapy in osteoarthritis has generated great interest and is offered with the unlimited potential of healing and regeneration. Current literature regarding their proper name, optimal sources and mechanism of action, dosage, route of administration, efficacy, and safety is debatable. Maintenance Stem Cells (MSC) may be a more suitable term than mesenchymal stem cell or medicinal signaling cells. Only a small percentage of implanted MSC survive and rest undergo apoptosis after releasing growth factors/cytokines/extracellular vesicles. These surviving MSC become active due to conformation changes induced by anti-environment stimuli and undergo limited self-renewal and proliferation but might not differentiate and incorporate in to the host chondrocytes or chondroblast; these cells generate and maintain a momentum of series of regenerative activities to improve the function of joint, stabilize or possibly enhance the cartilage quality. More randomized controlled studies with long term follow-up might reveal its true potential and will help to establish it as one of the preferred alternatives to surgical treatment in osteoarthritis of the knee.

Author(s): Ashok Kumar

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