By Anthony Oliva, PhD
Updated August 28, 2026
Autoimmune conditions are actively being studied throughout stem cell research. An analysis of 1,136 clinical trials involving stem cell therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases found that new trials increased from an average of 11 per year in 2000–2004 to a peak of 73 in 2019 (Wu et al., 2025). MSCs are part of that work, and the evidence varies considerably by condition, dosing and cell quality.
What are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)?
MSCs are found in tissues including bone marrow, adipose (fat) tissue, and umbilical cord tissue. Rather than acting only as replacement cells, they can secrete bioactive molecules and modulate immune responses (Caplan & Correa, 2011). Those immunomodulatory properties are one reason MSCs are being studied in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. If you’re still getting familiar with how collection and banking work, our beginner’s guide to stem cell banking is a good place to start.
The current research by condition
The clearest picture comes from a 2022 review that pulled together randomized controlled trials across five autoimmune conditions, and the results were mostly encouraging (Zeng et al., 2022):
- Rheumatoid arthritis: The review reported a 54% overall clinical effectiveness rate, alongside reductions in disease activity measures.
- Lupus: The studies reported improvements in disease activity markers, including reduced urine protein and improved complement levels.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn’s disease): The review found improved clinical response following MSC administration.
- Ankylosing spondylitis: The review found improvements in measures including inflammation, pain, and disease activity, while noting that further study is needed to clarify factors such as dose and study design.
- Multiple sclerosis: Results were mixed, and the authors concluded that more trials are needed before drawing conclusions.
A 2024 review of stem cell studies in lupus also summarized clinical studies reporting changes in disease activity and immune markers, while emphasizing that further research is still needed (Zare Moghaddam et al., 2024). One point matters for any family reading this: most of the trials in these reviews used allogeneic cells from donors rather than a child’s own cells, and reported doses ranged from 1 million to 200 million cells, so the results do not transfer directly to autologous banking.
An important distinction: clinical research and newborn banking are not necessarily the same cell therapy
The studies discussed above involve MSCs administered to patients under specific trial protocols, and many use allogeneic cells from donors. That is fundamentally different from banking a newborn’s cells for possible future use. Banked newborn cells are the child’s own, carrying the child’s own DNA.
VitalCells preserves and expands a documented supply of a child’s own cells through CellMaxx, but does not make any medical claims on what these cells can be used for. Your medical practitioner will consult and provide medical advice if they believe personal stem cell therapy can potentially help.
What clinical research tells us about cell quantity
MSC clinical trials do not use a single standard dose. Cell quantities, cell quality, dosing strategies, and routes of administration vary across studies, and researchers are still working to understand how those differences affect outcomes (Zeng et al., 2022).
For banking, that makes documentation important for a different reason: it tells you the live MSC cell count per vial, so the physician can quantify the dosing. A documented cell count does not predict a future medical outcome, but it does give families and physicians more specific information about the banked sample.
VitalCells expands and documents a child’s own cells.
What this means if you’re considering newborn banking
Research in this area is still developing. As more studies are published, the picture of which conditions are being investigated, and at what doses, will become clearer. None of it is settled today, and any decision about medical care belongs with a licensed physician who knows the individual case.
For families considering newborn stem cell banking, understanding how many stem cells, the quality of those cells, and the access to those stem cells are critical points to understand when deciding on where to store your child’s precious stem cell sample.
Research on MSCs is not a statement about what any banked sample can do for any individual. Anyone weighing a medical decision should have that conversation with their own physician.
If you are at the stage of comparing banks rather than reading studies, five questions to ask a cord blood bank covers what to check before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is MSC therapy FDA-approved for autoimmune conditions?
No. There are no FDA-approved MSC products for autoimmune conditions. The uses described above are investigational and are studied under research protocols.
Are the MSCs used in autoimmune research the same as banked cord tissue cells?
It depends on the research. Many autoimmune MSC studies use allogeneic cells from donors, and cell sources vary across trials. Banked newborn cells are autologous to the child, so they match the child’s DNA. Because they are genetically matched to the child, they are not subject to the donor-recipient mismatch that allogeneic cells can involve (Zhou et al., 2021, and Wang et al., 2024). Comparative therapeutic benefit between autologous and allogeneic cells has not been established, and remains an open question.
Does banking my child’s cells mean they will have access to these cells throughout their life?
Banking preserves and documents a supply of your child’s own cells. Whether and how those cells might be used in a future medical context is a decision made with a licensed physician, based on the medical options available at that time. VitalCells does not make any medical claims in regards to what the cells should be used for. Please always consult a medical practitioner.
References
Wu Y, et al. Clinical trial landscape for stem cells in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases: a comprehensive analysis and path forward. Ann Med Surg. 2025. doi:10.1097/MS9.0000000000003920
Caplan AI, Correa D. The MSC: an injury drugstore. Cell Stem Cell. 2011;9(1):11–15. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2011.06.008
Zeng L, et al. Efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in the treatment of autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and ankylosing spondylitis). Stem Cells Int. 2022;2022:9463314. doi:10.1155/2022/9463314
Zare Moghaddam M, Mousavi MJ, Ghotloo S. Stem cell-based therapy for systemic lupus erythematous. J Transl Autoimmun. 2024;8:100241. doi:10.1016/j.jtauto.2024.100241
Zhou T, et al. Challenges and advances in clinical applications of mesenchymal stromal cells: allogeneic versus autologous. J Hematol Oncol. 2021;14:24. doi:10.1186/s13045-021-01037-x
Wang Y, et al. Unveiling the immunogenicity of allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells. Biomed Pharmacother. 2024. PMID:39405918
This blog is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It does not make any express or implied claims about the effectiveness, safety, or suitability of any procedure or therapy mentioned. VitalCells does not provide medical treatment. All procedures are performed by licensed, independent physicians. Always consult your own physician before making any health-related decision.