Systematic Review
Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) are being investigated as a potential treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), the most prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide. Conversely, concerns about its paracrine effect are drawing attention to noncellular alternatives such as secretomes and exosomes. The potential of hUC-MSCs, exosomes, and secretomes in cartilage regeneration is reported through a systematic evaluation of 44 publications, including investigations on humans and animals. Even with promising results, more research is necessary to eliminate bias and validate findings for use in clinical therapeutic settings.