Sheep Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Biological Characteristics, Ethical Considerations, and Translational Applications

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in regenerative medicine due to their self-renewal capacity, multilineage differentiation potential, and paracrine activity. Limitations associated with the sourcing and scalability of human MSCs have increased interest in xenogeneic alternatives, particularly sheep umbilical cord–derived MSCs (sUC-MSCs). These cells display high proliferative capacity, stable karyotypes, and a typical MSC immunophenotype (CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105), with low basal immunogenicity. sUC-MSCs exhibit osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic differentiation potential and secrete angiogenic and immunomodulatory factors, including VEGF, HGF, IGF-1, TGF-β, and IL-10. Owing to their biological similarities to human MSCs and accessibility from perinatal tissue, sUC-MSCs represent a suitable large-animal cell source for translational and preclinical research. Bioengineering strategies, including hydrogels, chitosan-based matrices, and peptide-functionalized scaffolds, further enhance their survival and delivery efficiency. Although challenges remain regarding immunogenicity and regulatory standardization, recent advances in omics profiling, gene editing, and extracellular vesicle–based delivery support the continued evaluation of sUC-MSCs as a scalable and ethically sustainable xenogeneic cell source for regenerative applications.