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Review
. 2009 Mar;6 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):320-7.
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01190.x.

Potential of adipose-derived stem cells for treatment of erectile dysfunction

Guiting Lin  1 , Lia Banie, Hongxiu Ning, Anthony J Bella, Ching-Shwun Lin, Tom F Lue
Affiliations
Review

Potential of adipose-derived stem cells for treatment of erectile dysfunction

Guiting Lin et al. J Sex Med. 2009 Mar.

Abstract

Introduction: Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are a somatic stem cell population contained in fat tissue that possess the ability for self-renewal, differentiation into one or more phenotypes, and functional regeneration of damaged tissue, which may benefit the recovery of erectile function by using a stem cell-based therapy.

Aim: To review available evidence concerning ADSCs availability, differentiation into functional cells, and the potential of these cells for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods: We examined the current data (from 1964 to 2008) associated with the definition, characterization, differentiation, and application of ADSCs, as well as other kinds of stem cells for the cell-based therapies of ED.

Main outcome measures: There is strong evidence supporting the concept that ADSCs may be a potential stem cell therapy source in treating ED.

Results: The ADSCs are paravascularly localized in the adipose tissue. Under specific induction medium conditions, these cells differentiated into neuron-like cells, smooth muscle cells, and endothelium in vitro. The insulin-like growth factor/insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF/IGFR) pathway participates in neuronal differentiation while the fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) pathway is involved in endothelium differentiation. In a preliminary in vivo experiment, the ADSCs functionally recovered the damaged erectile function. However, the underlying mechanism needs to be further examined.

Conclusion: The ADSCs are a potential source for stem cell-based therapies, which imply the possibility of an effective clinical therapy for ED in the near future.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
A hypothetical scheme of the adipose derived stem cells niche consists of four components: cap cells-endothelial cells, basal membrane, supporting cells-pericytes, and stem cells.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Schematic for the mutilineage differentiation of adipose derived stem cells and associated factors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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