Bone marrow stromal cells as immunomodulators. A primer for dermatologists

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also known as mesenchymal stem cells or MSCs) represent a unique cell population in the bone marrow with a long-known function to support hematopoiesis and replace skeletal tissues. The recent discovery that BMSCs also possess potent immunoregulatory features attracted a great deal of attention from stem cell biologists, immunologists and clinicians of different specialties worldwide. Initial clinical experience along with several animal models suggested that intravenously delivered BMSCs are able to regulate a wide variety of host immune cells and act in a way that is beneficial for the recipient in a variety of diseases. The role of the present review is to give a short introduction to the biology of BMSCs and to summarize our current understanding of how BMSCs modulate the immune system with special emphasis on available clinical data. Considering the audience of this journal we will also attempt to guide dermatologists in choosing the right skin conditions where BMSCs might be considered as a therapeutic alternative.