Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Need for Research & Potential Applications. It’s status in India

Journal of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

关键词: Proceedings of Annual Symposium on Regenerative Medicine;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that through replications have the capabilities of both self-renewal and differentiation into mature specialized cells. Broadly, there are two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cell biology has been associated with ethical controversy and also their growth is difficult to control. Adult stem cells are located in tissues throughout the body and function as a reservoir to replace damaged or aging cells. Embryonic stem cells are by definitions, the master cells capable of differentiating into every type of cells either in-vitro or in-vivo. Several lines of evidence suggests, however, that adult stem cells and even terminally differentiated somatic cells under appropriate micro-environmental cues are able to be reprogrammed and contribute to a much wider spectrum of differentiated progeny than previously anticipated. Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), for example, from different sources have been shown to cross the tissue boundaries and give rise to the cells of the other germ layers.In the past few years, the plasticity of adult cells in several post-natal tissues has attracted special attention in regenerative medicine. Stem cell therapies represent a new field of biomedical science which could provide in the future the cure for diseases until now considered incurable. The reconstitution of adult stem cells may be promising source for the regeneration of damaged tissues and for the resolution of organ dysfunction. However, there are two major limitations to the use of such cells:- (i) They are rare and (ii) Only a few types exist that can be isolated without harming the patient.Due to the inability to efficiently and safely harvest or expand stem cells from most adult organs (e.g. liver, gastrointestinal tract, heart, brain), the majority of human stem cell trials have focused on clinical applications for HSCs, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), or both, which can be easily obtained in clinically sufficient numbers from peripheral blood, bone marrow, umbilical cord blood or placenta. HSCs can give rise to muscle, liver cells, astrocytes, etc, especially when co-cultured with the particular tissue progenitor cells and in presence of MSCs.

【 授权许可】

Unknown