Chicken Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Applications: A Mini Review

Area of Science:

• Stem Cell Biology
• Immunology
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells characterized by plastic adherence, specific surface markers (CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105), and cytokine production.
• MSCs possess differentiation potential into osteocytes, chondrocytes, adipocytes, and myocytes.
• Their immunomodulatory properties and supportive role in hematopoiesis are critical for various biological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the general characterization of MSCs.
• To summarize the diverse applications of MSCs in chicken research.
• To highlight MSCs' potential in disease modeling, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on MSCs.
• Analysis of MSC characteristics, including markers and differentiation capacity.
• Exploration of MSC applications in chicken models for various research areas.

Main Results:

• MSCs are valuable for understanding infectious bursal disease virus pathogenesis and osteogenesis.
• They serve as a feeder layer for other cells and are crucial in immunomodulatory cell therapy.
• MSCs offer potential for in vitro culture with probiotics/prebiotics, cell-based meat production, and supporting hematopoiesis in chickens.

Conclusions:

• Mesenchymal stem cells are a promising tool in chicken research due to their availability, proliferation capacity, and immune modulatory functions.
• Their applications span from disease modeling and therapeutic strategies to innovative food production.
• Further research utilizing MSCs in 3D-culture systems holds potential for advancing hematopoiesis studies in chickens.