Figure 1

Mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (A) In the healthy patient, motor neuron viability is maintained when supported by healthy astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. (B) In familial ALS, intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to the degeneration of motor neurons. These factors are not well understood and remain under investigation. (C) Mesenchymal stem cells are well suited to treat this complex disease because of their wide range of potential therapeutic responses, including direct cell replacement, trophic factor delivery, and immunomodulation.