Advances in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles and biomaterial assemblies for endometrial injury treatment

Endometrial injury caused by repeated uterine procedures, infections, inflammation, or uterine artery dysfunction can deplete endometrial stem/progenitor cells and impair regeneration, thereby diminishing endometrial receptivity and evidently lowering the live birth, clinical pregnancy, and embryo implantation rates. Currently, safe and effective clinical treatment methods or gene-targeted therapies are unavailable, especially for severe endometrial injury. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles are characterized by their simple collection, rapid proliferation, low immunogenicity, and tumorigenicity, along with their involvement in regulating angiogenesis, immune response, cell apoptosis and proliferation, inflammatory response, and fibrosis, Therefore, these cells and vesicles hold broad potential for application in endometrial repair. This article reviewed recent research on human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells as well as their extracellular vesicles in repairing endometrial injury.

Key Words: Endometrial injury; Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells; Extracellular vesicles; MicroRNA; Biomaterial assemblies; Regenerative repair

Core Tip: This study explored the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) as well as their extracellular vesicles in repairing endometrial injury. We demonstrated that hucMSCs promote endometrial regeneration through various mechanisms, such as cell proliferation, anti-fibrosis, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation. The findings highlighted the advantages of hucMSCs, including their low immunogenicity and ethical acceptability, making them a promising candidate for clinical applications. Our work addressed current challenges in hucMSC therapy, laying the groundwork for future standardized protocols and potentially offering new hope for females with endometrial dysfunction.

• Citation: Zhang WY, Wang HB, Deng CY. Advances in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles and biomaterial assemblies for endometrial injury treatment. World J Stem Cells 2025; 17(1): 97905
• URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/1948-0210/full/v17/i1/97905.htm
• DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4252/wjsc.v17.i1.97905