Stem cell therapy in stroke: strategies in basic study and clinical application.

Stem cell therapies are an important strategy for the treatment of stroke. Bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) may promote structural and functional repair in several organs via stem cell plasticity. The tissue damage could stimulate the stem cells migration, and they track into the site of damage and then undergo differentiation. The plasticity functions of BMSCs in an injuries tissue are dependent on the specific signals present in the local environment of the damaged tissue. Recent studies have also identified the specific molecular signals, such as SDF-1/CXCR4, required for the interaction of BMSCs and damaged host tissues. This review summarizes the current understanding of how BMSCs reach and function in cerebral ischemic tissues.