Pericytes, mesenchymal stem cells and their contributions to tissue repair

Regenerative medicine using mesenchymal stem cells for the purposes of tissue repair has garnered considerable public attention due to the potential of returning tissues and organs to a normal, healthy state after injury or damage has occurred. To achieve this, progenitor cells such as pericytes and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells can be delivered exogenously, mobilised and recruited from within the body or transplanted in the form organs and tissues grown in the laboratory from stem cells. In this review, we summarise the recent evidence supporting the use of endogenously mobilised stem cell populations to enhance tissue repair along with the use of mesenchymal stem cells and pericytes in the development of engineered tissues. Finally, we conclude with an overview of currently available therapeutic options to manipulate endogenous stem cells to promote tissue repair.