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World J Stem Cells. Oct 26, 2026; 18(10): 125423
Published online Oct 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.125423
Published online Oct 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.125423
Human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy in experimental spinal cord injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Li-Qiong Liao, Rui-Xia Liang, Department of Obstetrics, Guangdong Medical University Panyu He Xian Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou 511400, Guangdong Province, China
Zhu-Xiao Ren, Department of Neonatology, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou 511442, Guangdong Province, China
Ye-Yang Wang, Department of Spine, Orthopaedic Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou 510317, Guangdong Province, China
Wei Wei, Yong-Sheng Li, Laboratory Center, Guangdong Cord Blood Bank, Guangzhou 510663, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Liao LQ, Liang RX, and Li YS contributed to conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, and drafting the original manuscript; Liao LQ and Liang RX contributed to data curation and investigation; Ren ZX, Wang YY, Wei W, and Li YS contributed to supervision; Ren ZX, Li YS, Wang YY, and Wei W contributed to review and editing; Ren ZX contributed to validation; Wang YY and Wei W contributed to resources and project administration. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: During the preparation of this work, the authors used DeepSeek, Kimi, and Zhipu Qingyan (ChatGLM) to assist with R scripting for statistical analysis and English language polishing. After using these tools, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the published article.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Corresponding author: Yong-Sheng Li, Manager, Laboratory Center, Guangdong Cord Blood Bank, No. 1 Nan Yun Fourth Road, Science City, Guangzhou 510663, Guangdong Province, China. life9999@yeah.net
Received: July 7, 2026
Revised: August 4, 2026
Accepted: October 8, 2026
Published online: October 26, 2026
Processing time: 112 Days and 3.9 Hours
Revised: August 4, 2026
Accepted: October 8, 2026
Published online: October 26, 2026
Processing time: 112 Days and 3.9 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This systematic review and meta-analysis of six preclinical studies demonstrates that human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation significantly improves functional recovery in experimental spinal cord injury, with a large effect size (standardized mean difference = 2.35). The certainty of evidence is low due to substantial heterogeneity and methodological limitations. A hypothesis-generating observation suggests that low doses (≤ 1 × 106 cells) may yield more consistent effects than higher doses, questioning the assumption of a simple linear dose-efficacy relationship. These findings provide an initial quantitative reference for future translational research.