Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Immunomodulation

This book presents information regarding Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) as a source of immunomodulatory molecules which enables current and future researchers to consider, for example, how these MSCs could be employed to more precisely define the signal transduction mechanisms underlying the ability of these cells to suppress immune-mediated inflammation. It also further defines the methodologies required to transform the information gleaned from studies of MSC in vitro to well-validated preclinical animal models such as those that have proven to serve as replicas of autoimmunity and pre-term labor to name only two of the many animal models that are included. Beginning with an overview chapter which summarizes the major concepts and future perspectives, this essential volume brings together applications across autoimmune diseases such as SLE, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis; blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma and reproductive biology where we will examine the relatively novel paradigm of potentially using MSCs in vitro and in animal models of pre-term labor to discover how these cells may eventually be clinically employed to suppress the inflammatory response that drives pre-term labor activity.