The most common clinical manifestations of age-related musculoskeletal degeneration are osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, and these represent an enormous burden on modern society. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have pivotal roles in musculoskeletal tissue development. In adult organisms, MSCs retain their ability to regenerate tissues following bone fractures, articular cartilage injuries, and other traumatic injuries of connective tissue. However, their remarkable regenerative ability appears to be impaired through aging, and in particular in age-related diseases of bones and joints. Here, we review age-related alterations of MSCs in musculoskeletal tissues, and address the underlying mechanisms of aging and senescence of MSCs. Furthermore, we focus on the properties of MSCs in osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, and how their changes contribute to onset and progression of these disorders. Finally, we consider current treatments that exploit the enormous potential of MSCs for tissue regeneration, as well as for innovative cell-free extracellular-vesicle-based and anti-aging treatment approaches.

与年龄相关的肌肉骨骼退化最常见的临床表现是骨关节炎和骨质疏松症，这给现代社会带来了巨大的负担。间充质基质细胞 (MSCs) 在肌肉骨骼组织发育中具有关键作用。在成人生物体中，MSCs 在骨折、关节软骨损伤和结缔组织的其他创伤性损伤后保留其再生组织的能力。然而，它们显着的再生能力似乎会因衰老而受损，特别是在与年龄相关的骨骼和关节疾病中。在这里，我们回顾了肌肉骨骼组织中 MSCs 与年龄相关的变化，并探讨了 MSCs 衰老和衰老的潜在机制。此外，我们专注于 MSCs 在骨关节炎和骨质疏松症中的特性，以及它们的变化如何导致这些疾病的发作和进展。最后，我们考虑了利用 MSCs 巨大潜力进行组织再生的当前治疗方法，以及基于创新的无细胞细胞外囊泡和抗衰老治疗方法。