Current applications of mesenchymal stem cells for tissue replacement in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery

Cellular therapy utilizing adult mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) may very well revolutionize the treatment of a variety of head and neck diseases through the restoration of normal structure and function. Transplanting allogeneic or autologous MSCs into damaged tissues can serve multiple regenerative functions through their self-renewal, differentiation capacity, immune modulation and secretion of bioactive molecules. Further, trophic factors expressed by MSCs have been shown to influence their microenvironment through the promotion of extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis and wound healing needed to regenerate or replace injured tissues. Although clinical applications of MSC based therapies in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery are still in their infancy, efforts are being made to understand and exploit MSCs for tissue repair as well as engineering strategies. In this review, we highlight pre clinical and clinical investigations employing MSC based therapies for the reconstruction of bone, cartilage, soft tissue and vocal fold defects.