CXCR4: A Potential Chemokine Receptor for Future Regenerative Therapeutic Target

Understanding the molecular mechanisms in regeneration could help the stem cell therapists to improve the clinical practices and could be considered a major milestone in the translation of stem cell research to clinics. Chemokines have been described as one of the most significant singling networks in stem cells homing and regeneration of damaged organs. CXCR4/CXCL12 has been known as a key player in this regard. Expression of CXCR4 has been observed in a number of cells such as mesenchymal stem cells, epithelial cells etc and plays crucial and unique role in the migration of cells towards a cytokine gradient and regulating stem cells trafficking as well as tissue/organ regeneration and embryogenesis.