Therapeutic effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on pulmonary impact injury complicated with endotoxemia in rats

► We established a rat model of sublethal chest impact injury plus endotoxemia. ► Engraftment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) improved the rats' pulmonary gas exchanges after ALI. ► Engraftment of MSCs alleviated the lung injury, and reduced the rats' mortality. ► MSCs transplantation is a promising strategy in trauma and endotoxemia induced ALI treatment.