Fig. 2
From: Mesenchymal stem cell mediates cardiac repair through autocrine, paracrine and endocrine axes
Repair pathways related to MSC-mediated therapeutic effects following ischemic injury. Autocrine pathways are involved in proliferation, survival and possible differentiation of MSCs. Paracrine pathways are elicited by secreted mediators that act in the vicinity of MSCs to promote angiogenesis, inhibit fibrosis and activate endogenous progenitor cells. Finally, endocrine-like pathways are induced when MSC (once remotely transplanted) are activated by distant injury and secreted trophic factors that circulate either in the vascular or lymphatic systems to induce pro-healing effects related to both autocrine and paracrine pathways