Fig. 1

Immunomodulatory effects of MSC. MSCs exert immunomodulatory effects mainly through central and peripheral immune compartments. MSCs modulate central immune compartments by repairing damaged thymus, promoting T-cells maturation, inducing the proliferation of natural Tregs, and differentiating to thymocytes. MSCs modulate peripheral immune compartments, including interacting with various immune cells and secreting various soluble mediators involved in different microenvironment. They suppress T cell and B cell proliferation, induce the generation and proliferation of Tregs and Bregs, inhibit differentiation of precursors into DCs, suppress DCs maturation, and influence the function of NK cells