Exploiting the properties of adult stem cells for the treatment of disease
Erlandsson, A.; Morshead, C.M.
Current Opinion in Molecular Therapeutics 8(4): 331-337
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 1464-8431 PMID: 16955696 Document Number: 604601
Much of the current hope in regenerative medicine is intimately entwined with promises that stern cells will provide the backbone for cell-replacement therapies to treat various degenerative, genetic and malignant conditions. The realization that a wide range of adult tissues contain stem cells has heightened this optimism, and ultimately the expectation that these somatic cells can be harnessed to provide cell-based therapies that will soon be realized in the clinic. This review discusses the recent advances in adult stem-cell technology that have captured significant attention and discusses progress in the development of two distinct methodologies currently being exploited in regenerative medicine strategies.