Stem cell research has been in the spotlight for decades. Progress in stem cells, ranging from characteristics to differentiation potential and treatment models, has been made in laying the theoretical foundation for using them as a therapeutic option. One aspect of these findings suggests that stem cells show promising translational potential for treating many refractory neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer‘s Disease (AD), Parkinson Diseases (PD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), despite the many challenges faced by researchers.
Many studies have revealed that the underlying mechanisms of stem cell therapy are cell replacement, immunomodulation, paracrine, anti-apoptosis or neuron protection, pro-angiogenesis, etc. Among these, researchers have acknowledged cell replacement as the most promising therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases due to its long-lasting and high-effective therapeutic effects. However, even though numerous studies have been conducted, a few data support the application of cell replacement in neurodegenerative diseases treatment. This is because correctly inducing the differentiation/transformation of stem cells into a specific type of neuron is critical for stem-cell replacement therapy, yet we are still unable to do this due to the unclear mechanisms underlying this process. Many studies, including immune factor profiling, have shown that immunomodulation plays an important regulatory role in stem cell therapy. But how immunomodulation may contribute in terms of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases is not fully understood. Many questions, such as how transplanted stem cells interact with the microglia cells to modulate the local immune environment, whether stem cells play a role in angiogenesis or vascularization in the brain, and how this role is fulfilled, are still unanswered. Further studies are urgently required in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of stem cells in neurodegenerative diseases treatment.
The aim of this research topic is to draw attention to stem cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases, especially to gain a better understanding of their regulatory mechanisms, including cell fate in vivo, and how they interact with the neuronal and non-neuronal cells over time to affect the nerve system homeostasis, ultimately leading to the long-term treatment effects. We would also like to encourage authors to discuss essential perspectives and current advancement in stem cells and their application in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
We welcome submissions on the following topics:
- Determine which types of stem cells have the most therapeutic potential for stem cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases
- Explore mechanisms underlying stem-cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases
- Investigate new techniques and methods to address stem cell fate in the brain and their interaction with neuronal and non-neuronal cells. For example, new techniques that could trace the transplanted cells to study their behaviors in vivo, such as migration, localization, paracrine activities, and communication with neuronal and non-neuronal cells
- Understand how the behaviors of transplanted cells affect the efficacy of stem-cell treatment in neurodegenerative diseases
- Study angiogenesis or vascularization during stem cell interaction with neuronal and non-neuronal cells
- Whether stem cell-derived exosomes or miRNA primed exosomes can serve as good drug candidates for neurodegenerative diseases
Stem cell research has been in the spotlight for decades. Progress in stem cells, ranging from characteristics to differentiation potential and treatment models, has been made in laying the theoretical foundation for using them as a therapeutic option. One aspect of these findings suggests that stem cells show promising translational potential for treating many refractory neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer‘s Disease (AD), Parkinson Diseases (PD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), despite the many challenges faced by researchers.
Many studies have revealed that the underlying mechanisms of stem cell therapy are cell replacement, immunomodulation, paracrine, anti-apoptosis or neuron protection, pro-angiogenesis, etc. Among these, researchers have acknowledged cell replacement as the most promising therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases due to its long-lasting and high-effective therapeutic effects. However, even though numerous studies have been conducted, a few data support the application of cell replacement in neurodegenerative diseases treatment. This is because correctly inducing the differentiation/transformation of stem cells into a specific type of neuron is critical for stem-cell replacement therapy, yet we are still unable to do this due to the unclear mechanisms underlying this process. Many studies, including immune factor profiling, have shown that immunomodulation plays an important regulatory role in stem cell therapy. But how immunomodulation may contribute in terms of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases is not fully understood. Many questions, such as how transplanted stem cells interact with the microglia cells to modulate the local immune environment, whether stem cells play a role in angiogenesis or vascularization in the brain, and how this role is fulfilled, are still unanswered. Further studies are urgently required in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of stem cells in neurodegenerative diseases treatment.
The aim of this research topic is to draw attention to stem cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases, especially to gain a better understanding of their regulatory mechanisms, including cell fate in vivo, and how they interact with the neuronal and non-neuronal cells over time to affect the nerve system homeostasis, ultimately leading to the long-term treatment effects. We would also like to encourage authors to discuss essential perspectives and current advancement in stem cells and their application in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
We welcome submissions on the following topics:
- Determine which types of stem cells have the most therapeutic potential for stem cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases
- Explore mechanisms underlying stem-cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases
- Investigate new techniques and methods to address stem cell fate in the brain and their interaction with neuronal and non-neuronal cells. For example, new techniques that could trace the transplanted cells to study their behaviors in vivo, such as migration, localization, paracrine activities, and communication with neuronal and non-neuronal cells
- Understand how the behaviors of transplanted cells affect the efficacy of stem-cell treatment in neurodegenerative diseases
- Study angiogenesis or vascularization during stem cell interaction with neuronal and non-neuronal cells
- Whether stem cell-derived exosomes or miRNA primed exosomes can serve as good drug candidates for neurodegenerative diseases