Advanced biomaterials have significantly contributed to three-dimensional cell culture systems in recent decades, and more unique and complex biomaterials have been proposed for improving stem-cell proliferation and controlled differentiation. Three-dimensional cell culture systems may create a biomimicking microenvironment for stem cells, resembling their native three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM). Inhabiting such a two-dimensional rigid substrate requires a dramatic adaption for the surviving cells because they lack the extracellular matrix that is unique to each cell type and which may alter cell metabolism and reduce its functionality. In two-dimensional platforms, cells are typically exposed to a solid, rigid flat surface on the basal side and to liquid at the apical Ĭell culture in two dimensions has been routinely performed in thousands of laboratories worldwide for the past four decades. Two main approaches are taken for this purpose: two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell culture. Thus, it is necessary to develop culture systems which produce pure populations of tissue-specific stem-cells in vitro without the loss of stem-cell potential. To be used for research or treatment applications, large numbers of high-quality stem cells are needed. In addition to the functions of the cells themselves, paracrine soluble factors produced by stem cells, known as the stem cell secretome, have been found to be another mechanism by which stem cell-based therapies mediate their effects in degenerative, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases. The molecules and exosomes released from stem cells are also being studied in an effort to make medications. Stem cells are being studied for a number of reasons. Research ĭiseases and conditions where stem cell treatment is promising or emerging In 2014, the European Medicines Agency recommended approval of limbal stem cells for people with severe limbal stem cell deficiency due to burns in the eye. The FDA has approved five hematopoietic stem-cell products derived from umbilical-cord blood, for the treatment of blood and immunological diseases. The doses are stored frozen until needed. MSCs are purified from the marrow, cultured and packaged, with up to 10,000 doses derived from a single donor. It is an allogenic stem therapy based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from the bone marrow of adult donors. Īnother stem-cell therapy, called Prochymal, was conditionally approved in Canada in 2012 for the management of acute graft-vs-host disease in children who are unresponsive to steroids. The transplanted cells also generate an immune response that helps to kill off the cancer cells this process can go too far, however, leading to graft vs host disease, the most serious side effect of this treatment. This is the side effect of conventional chemotherapy strategies that the stem-cell transplant attempts to reverse a donor's healthy bone marrow reintroduces functional stem cells to replace the cells lost in the host's body during treatment. These agents, however, cannot discriminate between the leukaemia or neoplastic cells, and the hematopoietic stem cells within the bone marrow. During chemotherapy, most growing cells are killed by the cytotoxic agents. Additionally, efforts to market treatments based on transplant of stored umbilical cord blood have been controversial.įurther information: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantationįor over 30 years, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been used to treat people with conditions such as leukaemia and lymphoma this is the only widely practiced form of stem-cell therapy. This controversy is often related to abortion politics and to human cloning. Stem-cell therapy has become controversial following developments such as the ability of scientists to isolate and culture embryonic stem cells, to create stem cells using somatic cell nuclear transfer and their use of techniques to create induced pluripotent stem cells. Research is underway to develop various sources for stem cells as well as to apply stem-cell treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. This usually takes the form of a bone-marrow transplantation, but the cells can also be derived from umbilical cord blood. As of 2016, the only established therapy using stem cells is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. This article is about the medical therapy.
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