Injury Signaling and Repair Mechanisms

The article's core repair model is that injury or inflammation creates cytokine signals that guide introduced stem cells toward affected tissue. Earlier treatment is presented as more favorable because acute injuries produce stronger cytokine signals than older injuries. Stem cells may support repair through inflammation modulation, paracrine signaling, autophagy, and possible mitochondrial donation. Mitochondrial transfer is described as a mechanism by which stem cells may help damaged cells improve ATP production and signaling. Treatment delay is said to make repair harder because inflammatory signals weaken and scar tissue may form.