Exercise‐induced stem cell activation and its implication for cardiovascular and skeletal muscle regeneration

Abstract

A number of publications have provided evidence that exercise and physical activity are linked to the activation, mobilization, and differentiation of various types of stem cells. Exercise may improve organ regeneration and function. This review summarizes mechanisms by which exercise contributes to stem cell-induced regeneration in the cardiovascular and the skeletal muscle system. In addition, it discusses whether exercise may improve and support stem cell transplantation in situations of cardiovascular disease or muscular dystrophy.

Stem Cell Therapy in Pediatric Neurological Disabilities

“…Studies have shown that exercise enhances the effect of injected stem cells by inducing mobility of the cells, activating and proliferating the local stem cells, promoting muscle angiogenesis and release of cytokines and nerve growth factors. Hence, neurorehabilitation compliments with the stem cell therapy [100].…”

Cardiac Regeneration and Cellular Therapy: Is there a Benefit of Exercise?

“…SP cells exist in a variety of organs, such as bone marrow, skeletal muscle, liver, brain, lung, skin and heart [ 72 ] , and it has been demonstrated that these SP cells increase in number within 3 days after cardiac injury, co-expressing cardiomyocyte-specifi c sarcomeric proteins [ 60 ] . Cardiac stem cells have been described as dividing symmetrically and asymmetrically [ 102 ] . When stem cells divide symmetrically, 2 self-renewing daughter cells are formed and expansion of stem cell compartment occurs.…”

“…On the other hand asymmetrical division ensues that one daughter stem and one daughter amplifying cell are obtained, resulting in cell diff erentiation [ 55 ] . In fact, the preservation of a pool of primitive cardiac stem cells and of a myocyte progeny, together with endothelial and smooth muscle is accomplished by a replication mechanism in which CSCs gives rise to one daughter and one daughter-committed cardiac stem cell [ 102 ] . These resident CSCs are stored in niches that are scattered throughout the myocardium, and it has been suggested that distinct levels of wall stress may infl uence their distribution.…”

“…A reasonable hypothesis proposed by Leri et al [ 55 ] is that infl ammation at the site of injury opposes the orderly reconstitution and spatial rearrangement of myocytes and coronary vessels. Exercise and physical activity induces a variety of stimuli which may be responsible for the activation, mobilization, diff erentiation and homing of stem and progenitor cells [ 102 ] . The type of cells, however, and the mechanisms how they are activated and mobilized by exercise are not fully understood.…”

“…It has been described that CSCs increase their activity in stress-induced pathological conditions [ 14 , 66 , 71 ] . Bearing in mind the exercise-induced stress to the cardiovascular system, it was suggested that exercise and physical activity improve the function and regeneration of the cardiovascular system by activating and mobilizing resident cardiac stem cells (CSCs) or by recruiting blood-circulating progenitor cells [ 102 ] . In addition, it may be hypothesized that appropriate physiological stimuli may preferentially induce the death of the most vulnerable cardiomyocytes by apoptosis, rather than by necrosis, thereby preventing an infl ammatory reaction and improving the overall cellular pool of the heart as a whole ( • ▶ Fig.…”