Association Between Mesenchymal Stem Cells and COVID-19 Therapy: Systematic Review and Current Trends

The systematic review analyzed 22 studies on the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from health cord tissues in treating COVID-19 patients. The studies found that MSC exosomes are safer than MSC alone due to their smaller size and lesser immunological response. They also found that the lungs healed with the use of exosomes. MSCs were found to increase the angiogenesis process and alveolar reepithelization, reducing markers like TNF alpha, TGF beta, and COL I and III, reducing the growth of myofibroblasts and increasing survivability of endothelium leading to attenuated pulmonary fibrosis and even reversing them. The review concluded that the use of MSCs or their derived exosomes is safe and well-tolerated in COVID-19 patients, improving oxygenation parameters and aiding in lung healing. In the context of hair regrowth, hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells (HF-MSCs) have shown potential in advancing hair growth.