The potential role of stem cells in multiple sclerosis therapies

The intricacy of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the unavailability of many of the promised MS treatments motivate us to develop novel and more potent therapeutic strategies that attempt to inhibit ongoing autoimmune reactions and induce local endogenous regeneration. Over the last 20 years, regenerative cell treatment, also known as stem cell (SC) therapy, has greatly aided research into potentially effective cutting-edge methods for treating neurodegenerative diseases. This is a result of SCs’ capacity to restore damaged neural tissue by regenerating differentiated cells to replace the lost or damaged ones, protecting the already-healthy neurons and glial cells from injury, or establishing an environment that encourages regeneration. This chapter provides an overview of the various types of SCs and their sources. We also discuss mesenchymal stem cells’ therapeutic mechanisms and applications as well as the future challenges and perspectives of SC therapy for MS.