Improving Regenerative Therapies

Stem cell therapies have the potential to improve the outcome of potentially severe and life-ending musculoskeletal injuries in horses. However, not all donor cells are accepted by the recipient's immune system. The recipient's immune cells will destroy transplanted stem cells if the immune system perceives the introduced cells as foreign. To improve stem cell treatment success, researchers will examine whether new culture techniques can be used to prevent the immune system from destroying donor stem cells. Successful production of immunologically compatible, “off-the-shelf” stem cells has the potential to improve the convenience, availability, and effectiveness of stem cell therapies, not only in horses, but in many species, including other companion animals.