Stem Cell Therapies for Lung Regeneration

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an inexorably progressive lung disease of unknown origin. Prognosis is poor, with limited treatment options available, and the median survival remains just 3–5years. Despite recent advances in treatment, no curative therapy is available for this disease, and mortality remains high. Regenerative medicine and the use of cell-based therapies have recently emerged as a potential option for various diseases. Promising results of preclinical studies using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) suggest that they may represent a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of chronic lung diseases including IPF. Encouraging results of Phase 1 studies of MSCs various have reduced safety concerns. Nonetheless, there is still a pressing need for exploratory biomarkers and interval end-points in the context of MSCs investigation. This article intends to define the role of stem cells in the lung so we can understand their use in stem cell therapy for lung fibrosis. This section will summarize the current state of knowledge for stem cells in the experimental and clinical setting of IPF, present important safety and efficacy issues highlight current and future challenges, and address the need for large, multicenter clinical trials coupled with realistic end-points, including biomarkers, to assess treatment efficacy.