The potential of urine-derived stem cells (USCs) for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has attracted much attention during the last few decades. However, it has been suggested that the effects of the USCs may be endowed by their paracrine extracellular vesicles (EVs) rather than their differentiation. Compared with the USCs, the USC-EVs can cross the barriers more easily and safely, and their inclusions may mediate intercellular communication and promote the tissue repair. This article has summarized the current knowledge and applications about the USC-EVs in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and discussed the prospects and challenges for using them as an alternative to cell therapy. Impact statement Urine-derived stem cells (USCs) represent a newly discovered type of stem cells, and studies have proved that the beneficial effects of the USCs may be manifested through their paracrine extracellular vesicles (EVs) rather than through their own differentiation, which opens up new avenues for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the latest research progress and potential clinical applications of the USC-EVs, highlighting the promising potential of the USC-EVs as a therapeutic option in kidney regeneration, genital regeneration, nerve regeneration, bone and cartilage regeneration, and wound healing.
Keywords: exosome; extracellular vesicle; regenerative medicine; tissue engineering; urine-derived stem cell.