Stem cells in wound healing

The skin is a complex structure performing many essential functions in the body. Their external localisation makes them vulnerable to damage, which impairs their protective functions, which could cause local and systemic infections, excessive water loss and many other dangerous issues. Because of this, the problem of wound management affects both human and veterinary medicine. Selecting an appropriate therapy dedicated to a specific type of skin injury is a significant challenge for clinicians and researchers. Owing to the multi-phase and multifactorial nature of the wound healing process, contemporary regenerative medicine is striving to assist this process on several levels. In recent years, there has been rapid development of cell-based therapies in this field, including the use of stem cells for treating wounds in veterinary patients. The latest research and reports demonstrate that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit the greatest potential; these cells may be sourced from adipose tissue, bone marrow, or the umbilical cord. Studies have shown that the use of MSCs, whether autologous or allogeneic, accelerates the healing process by enhancing cell proliferation, angiogenesis, collagen production, and modulation of the inflammatory response. MSCs also exhibit beneficial paracrine effects, stimulating the recruitment of cells involved in tissue repair and proper re-epithelialisation, as confirmed by histopathological and molecular analyses. To date, cell-based therapies have been successfully applied in the treatment of both acute and chronic wounds, mainly in dogs and horses, enabling appropriate regeneration of skin in cases that previously proved resistant to conventional therapies. Research results suggest high efficacy and safety of MSCs in wound treatment; however, there is some information regarding the potential for teratoma development in connection with such therapies. Therefore, further work is required to standardise protocols and optimise the dosages and administration routes for the cells. Stem cell therapies represent an innovative and promising alternative to traditional wound treatments in veterinary practice and may potentially pave the way for new solutions in human patient care. This article constitutes a compendium of the currently available knowledge regarding the acquisition and application of stem cells in contemporary wound therapy.