Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Ischemic Wound Healing

Background: Regenerative medical strategies using adult stem cells promise to revolutionize the treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions for which effective therapies are currently lacking. Recent advancements in the field of regenerative medicine have highlighted the potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a potential source of cells capable of differentiating and me-diating repair of a variety of tissues, including the skin. The Problem: Despite an increasing awareness of the pathophysiologic events that occur in the development of chronic wounds of various underlying eti-ologies, chronic wounds remain a burdensome problem for more than 5 million patients and the healthcare providers that treat them in the United States each year. The impact of ischemia on the process of dermal healing is profound and has been considered one of the most significant contributing factors in the development of chronic wounds. Basic=Clinical Science Advances: Regenerative medicine was in its infancy almost two decades ago when MSCs were targeted to improve orthopedic re