Mechanisms of adipose-derived stem cell aging and the impact on therapeutic potential

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are being increasingly exploited for regenerative medicine applications owing to their many unique features, such as abundant donor tissue, easy isolation, immunomodulatory capacities, and migratory, proliferation, and lineage differentiation functions. Results from a large number of clinical trial studies suggest their significant potential in treating a wide range of diseases. However, the functions of ASCs decline with aging, negatively impacting their clinical application. To overcome this obstacle, rejuvenation of aging stem cells is a fast-developing research field. The development of strategies to rejuvenate stem cells is critically dependent on the knowledge of stem cell aging mechanisms. As such, extensive studies have been devoted to generating a global understanding of stem cell aging and the specific cellular mechanisms responsible for regulating the aging process.