Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy - Volume 10, Issue 3, 2015

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) derived from somatic cells represent a powerful experimental tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease phenotype; with prospects to advance medical therapies. They also have significant potential as a renewable source of autologous cells for cellular therapy. Various approaches for PSC derivation from somatic cells have been reported in the literature. The Read More

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) share many characteristics with embryonic stem cells (ESCs), but circumvent most of the ethical issues surrounding ESCs. The use of iPSCs to treat liver diseases is gaining increasing interest. Recent studies show these iPSCs can be differentiated into the hepatic lineage and provide an accurate model for liver diseases, drug screening and drug toxicity testing. Recently, the potential ap Read More

The development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has shown a great potential in disease modeling, drug screening, organ reconstruction and cancer therapy. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in Western countries. However, HCV infection has never been fully understood because the culprit virus only preferably infects human and chimpanzee. Hepat Read More

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) technology provides unique possibilities for human disease modeling and novel therapeutic approach in regenerative medicine. By applying this technology, it is possible to establish highfidelity human disease models from biopsy samples of different individuals with various genetic backgrounds. This may provide a better understanding of patient-specific pathophysiological processes o Read More

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic and involve the gastrointestinal tract; the two primary IBDs are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Existing treatments for IBD include control of active inflammation and regulation of immune disorders, and commonly used drugs include salicylates, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants. At the same time, an in-depth study of IBD pathogenesis promoted the acceptanc Read More

It has been demonstrated that mouse and human somatic cells can be reprogrammed into an embryonic stem cell-like state by introducing combinations of the transcription factors. The generation of such induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has enabled the derivation of disease-specific pluripotent cells which opens up new avenues of disease modeling and provides valuable experimental platforms. Moreover, tec Read More

Connections between inflammation and cancer are a rapidly developing field. Some gastrointestinal tract cancers arise from infection, chronic irritation, and ensuing inflammation. Cellular effectors and mediators are important constituents of the tumor microenvironment, including neoplastic, stromal, and migratory hematopoietic cells. Complex interaction between these cells in the tumor microenvironment regulat Read More

Gastrointestinal motility disorders affect millions of people worldwide, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Current treatments for these disorders are inadequate and often provide little to no relief for patients. As a result, gastrointestinal motility disorders produce substantial long-term social and economic burdens in both developed and developing countries. These limited treatment options arise largely from our r Read More

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited retinal disorders characterized by the progressive photoreceptors and pigment epithelial cells dysfunction. It is the most common retinal degeneration, responsible for loss of vision of most people worldwide. Until now its exact pathogenesis and etiology are not clear. So far there is no approved therapy. New approaches for RP therapy include cell transplantation, gene therap Read More

Stem cell therapy for patients with diabetes is an area of great interest to both scientists and clinicians. Human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBCs) are being increasingly used as a source of stem cells for cell-based therapy for diabetes because these cells can differentiate into pancreatic islet β-cells. Administration of HUCBCs has been shown to lower blood glucose levels in diabetic animal models. The use of autologous HUCB Read More

Despite the numerous recent advances made in conventional anticancer therapies, metastasis and recurrence still remain the major problems in cancer management. The current treatment modalities kill the bulk of the tumor, leaving cancer stem cells behind and therefore, the agents specifically targeting this cancer initiating cell population may have important clinical implications. In this review article, the data about t Read More