Implications of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell aging

Aging is defined as the progressive and generalized impairment of function, resulting in an increasing vulnerability to environmental challenges and a growing risk of disease and death. The decline in the regenerative capacity of resident stem cells across different tissues is a central mediator of aging. In this paper we review the evidence implicating multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells as being subject to and causes of tissue and organismal aging. We specifically discuss the nuclear changes that occur in the context of Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome, a premature aging syndrome that preferentially affects tissues of mesenchymal origin.