Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles ameliorate airway inflammation in a rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an incurable and debilitating chronic disease characterized by progressive airflow limitation associated with abnormal levels of tissue inflammation. Therefore, stem cell-based approaches to tackle the condition are currently a focus of regenerative therapies for COPD. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by all cell types are crucially involved in paracrine, extracellular communication.