Abstract: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of the kidney replacement treatments and plays an irreplaceable role in the treatment of end-stage renal failure patients. However, long-term PD can affect the function and structure of the peritoneum. Peritoneal fibrosis is a serious complication in long-term PD patients, leading to ultrafiltration failure and interruption of PD. In recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have become an innovative research field with clinical application potential due to their multi-directional differentiation potential, immunomodulatory and tissue repair abilities. Recent studies have shown that MSCs can ameliorate peritoneal fibrosis by regulating inflammation, repairing damage, and inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of the peritoneal mesenchymal cells. This article reviews the mechanism, research progresses and difficulties of MSCs used for delaying peritoneal fibrosis.

Key words: Mesenchymal stem cell, Peritoneal dialysis, Peritoneal fibrosis