The shape-shifters of medicine: Why mesenchymal stem cells matter?
February marks Pregnancy Awareness Month, an opportunity to shed light on how something routinely discarded at birth can hold significant medical value for the future. After birth, almost all umbilical cord and placental tissue is treated as medical waste, yet these tissues are an abundant source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are young, highly versatile cells known for their broad therapeutic potential in regenerative healing.
So… what are MSCs?
MSCs are multi-potent stromal cells, meaning they can differentiate into several types of specialised cells, including bone (osteocytes), cartilage (chondrocytes) and fat (adipocytes). In simple terms, they act like the body’s internal repair team. When injury or inflammation occurs, MSCs have a homing ability that allow them to seek tissue damage and migrate towards the site of injury, like tiny first responders following a distress signal. After locating the damage, they can develop into the necessary cell type such as muscle or cartilage, to assist in the tissue repair process.
MSCs can be found in several tissue types, including bone marrow, fat, umbilical cord and placental tissue. Obtaining MSCs from bone marrow and fat require invasive procedures that can lead to extensive recovery time. Alternatively, obtaining MSCs from perinatal tissues, such as umbilical cord and placental tissue, which are standardly discarded as medical waste, opens the door for a safe, ethical, and powerful source of stem cells. MSCs obtained from these perinatal tissues are young, adaptable and generally well-tolerated by our immune system, allowing allogeneic (donor-derived) use of stem cells.
Why should you care about MSCs?
MSCs have recently become one of the most widely studied cell types in biomedical research. The value in MSCs lie in their biological properties, their adaptability, and their expanding applications across research and therapeutic development.
Although MSCs have been shown to be excellent shape shifters by replacing damaged cells with new ones, they are also capable of releasing a range of bioactive molecules, such as proteins and growth factors, that influence nearby cells and tissue. They send out these ’instructions’ that help calm inflammation, support healing and guide repair processes. They also encourage existing cells to survive, recover, and function better. MSCs are excellent communicators, they don’t just fix things, they also create the right environment for fixing things.
In conditions where the immune system becomes overactive – such as autoimmune diseases or certain infections – MSCs can dampen the inflammatory ‘storm’ that damages healthy tissue by calming excessive immune responses. These cells act as natural regulators, restoring balance and protecting the body from self-inflicted harm. This powerful ability to modulate inflammation has made MSCs a major focus for a wide range of conditions in which the immune system plays a central role.
How MSCs are explored for healing and repair?
As of mid-2025, over 1100 active clinical trials are registered using MSCs. In orthopaedic research, MSCs have been studied for their ability to repair damaged joints, support bone and cartilage growth, and accelerate wound healing. Their innate ability to calm overactive immune responses has also made them a focus in conditions such as arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and graft-versus-host disease. Beyond these applications, MSCs are undergoing investigation for heart repair after heart attacks, lung regeneration in diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and neurological conditions such as stroke and spinal cord injuries.
In neurodevelopment conditions, research suggests that neuroinflammation and immune dysregulation may play a role in some individuals with autism. Since MSCs have the natural ability to modulate immune responses and reduce neuroinflammation, they are being studied as promising candidates to support biological balance in autism-related conditions.
MSCs don’t just treat symptoms, they provide the body with ‘biological common sense’, working with the body’s natural repair systems to help tissues heal the way the body already knows how – just with better co-ordination.
The future of medical waste
MSCs are a powerful tool for regenerative medicine. They have the unique ability to transform into key tissues like bone and cartilage, support healing and calm inflammation. The ability to source MSCs safely and ethically from perinatal tissues like the placenta and umbilical cord tissue provides us a readily available tool for regenerative therapies.
MSCs reshape how we approach recovery and repair, turning what was once discarded as medical waste into a potential lifeline for healing.
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