OBJECTIVEThis article was to review the current status of adult mesenchymal stem cells transplantation for muscle regeneration in urinary tract and propose the future prospect in this field.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were mainly obtained from articles listed in Medline and PubMed (2000-2013). The search terms were "mesenchymal stem cells", "bladder", "stress urinary incontinence" and "tissue engineering".

STUDY SELECTIONArticles regarding the adult mesenchymal stem cells for tissue engineering of bladder and stress urinary incontinence were selected and reviewed.

RESULTSAdult mesenchymal stem cells had been identified and well characterized in human bone marrow, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and urine, and demonstrated the capability of differentiating into smooth muscle cells and skeletal muscle cells under myogenic differentiation conditions in vitro. Multiple preclinical and clinical studies indicated that adult mesenchymal stem cells could restore and maintain the structure and function of urinary muscle tissues after transplanted, and potentially improve the quality of life in patients.

CONCLUSIONSSmooth or skeletal myogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells with regenerative medicine technology may provide a novel approach for muscle regeneration and tissue repair in urinary tract. The long-term effect and safety of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation should be further evaluated before this approach becomes widely used in patients.