Stem Cell-Based Biologics Emerge as Promising Strategy for Vascular Repair Amid Persistent Translational Hurdles
核心洞察
Stem cell-based biologics including MSCs, EPCs, and iPSCs show preclinical potential to restore endothelial function, modulate inflammation, and promote angiogenesis in vascular disease (搜索).
Despite advances in medical devices and pharmacotherapy, conventional interventions often fail to regenerate viable, functional vessels or halt progressive tissue damage.
Significant translational barriers remain, including variability in cell sources, incomplete understanding of molecular integration mechanisms, and limited clinical scalability.
Vascular disease (搜索) remains a major contributor to global cardiovascular mortality, characterized by structural and functional impairments of the vascular network. Despite significant advances in medical devices and pharmacotherapy, conventional interventions often fail to regenerate viable, functional vessels or to halt progressive tissue damage. In response, stem cell-based biologics—encompassing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) (搜索), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) (搜索), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) (搜索)—have emerged as promising candidates for vascular repair, with preclinical studies demonstrating their potential to restore endothelial function, modulate inflammation, and promote angiogenesis.
A newly launched Research Topic in Frontiers (搜索) aims to advance the understanding and application of these stem cell-based biologics, integrating insights from basic biology, bioengineering, and clinical translation. The initiative seeks to clarify how cellular and cell-free components mediate vascular regeneration, explore optimized delivery systems, and promote harmonization between preclinical findings and early-phase clinical outcomes.
Persistent Translational Barriers
Despite encouraging preclinical data, the field continues to confront significant obstacles. Key challenges include variability in cell sources, an incomplete understanding of molecular integration mechanisms, and limited clinical scalability. These gaps have hindered the transition from laboratory discovery to routine clinical application, underscoring the need for a more systematic exploration of therapeutic mechanisms, safety frameworks, and reproducible manufacturing strategies.
The Research Topic emphasizes the importance of identifying biomarkers for therapeutic efficacy, elucidating paracrine and extracellular vesicle–based communication in vascular repair, and addressing manufacturing challenges to ensure the safety, reproducibility, and regulatory compliance of emerging cardiac and vascular biologics.
Scope of Investigation
The initiative covers experimental, translational, and clinical studies centered on stem cell–based cardiovascular therapeutics, with particular emphasis on both mechanistic and applied perspectives. Specific themes include cellular mechanisms of MSC, EPC, and iPSC vascular integration and repair; paracrine and extracellular vesicle signaling in angiogenesis and vascular remodeling; bioengineering and delivery systems for scalable and targeted therapy development; translational models bridging preclinical efficacy and clinical trials; and safety profiling, immunogenic response, and regulatory frameworks for cardiovascular biologics.
The Research Topic welcomes original research, systematic reviews, and clinical perspectives, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the challenges at hand. By fostering dialogue across disciplines, the initiative aims to bridge the persistent gap between bench and bedside in cardiovascular regenerative medicine.