Intra-arterial delivery of mesenchymal stem cells

While treatments have been developed to combat stroke, such as intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and endovascular recanalization therapies, their ability to decrease the long-term disability that accompanies stroke is limited. Currently, stem cell research focused on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs are multipotent, nonhematopoietic stem cells found in the stromal fraction of the bone marrow, along with the connective tissue of most organs. MSCs are an increasingly appealing cell source due to the relative ease in which they can be retrieved, developed, and handled in vitro. Despite the fact that numerous paths of stem cell transport to the brain in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) exist, the intra-arterial (IA) route of stem cell transport is most attractive. This is due to its great potential for clinical translation, especially considering the growing clinical application of endovascular treatment for AIS. Here, we evaluate research examining IA delivery of MSCs to the stroke region. The results of the study revealed the maximum tolerated dose and that the optimal time for administration was 24 h, following cerebral ischemia. It is important that future translational studies are performed to establish IA administration of MSCs as a widely used treatment for AIS.