Canine and feline mesenchymal stem cells: an integrative review of direct comparative studies by species and tissue source.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Importance Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a pivotal role in advancing veterinary regenerative medicine in dogs and cats and serve as valuable preclinical models for human therapies. Despite their widespread application, fundamental knowledge gaps and the absence of standardized criteria for canine and feline MSCs remain. This review focuses exclusively on direct comparative studies across species and tissue sources to support evidence-based practices in which clinical use often precedes full scientific validation. Observations This review consolidates available comparative studies of canine and feline MSCs, categorizing them by species, tissue origin, and donor factors. We systematically assessed fundamental biological properties of MSCs (yield, morphology, proliferation, differentiation) and functionalities (immunomodulation, angiogenesis, migration). Overall, MSCs from both species exhibit properties comparable to those of human MSCs. However, canine MSCs have been more extensively studied across diverse tissues, whereas feline MSC research remains primarily restricted to adipose tissue and bone marrow. Notable interspecies and tissue-specific differences include proliferation rate, chondrogenic potential, and surface marker variability. Donor factors such as age also influence MSC behavior. Nevertheless, inconsistencies in sampling sites, culture protocols, and surface m

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.