• ADSCs are simple to isolate and access, and they have few ethical issues for their application.
• ADSCs can differentiate into various cell types, supporting their use in regenerative medicine.
• ADSCs hold great promise for treating gastrointestinal diseases through modulation of immune response, anti-inflammation and tissue repair.
• ADSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) mimic parental cells’ bioactivity and mitigate safety issues of live stem cell delivery, crucial for their application.