Stem Cells to Improve Burn Wound Healing

Burn injuries are a common and highly lethal trauma causing immense pain, suffering, disability, and unfortunately death. The secondary contracture can lead to loss of function and furthermore lifelong disability both physically and mentally. Stem cells have been used in a variety of clinical applications to repair and regenerate chronic wounds. However the use of stem cells in burns has just recently been applied to the field. Besides showing the power to promote better and faster healing of the burn wounds, stem cells have also showed the ability to decrease inflammation and the degree of scarring and fibrosis. This mini review aims to highlight the recent studies that have shown the therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in burn wound healing and to further discuss the many different strategies of application of such cells to a burn wound.