Stem Cell Therapies: A Way to Promising Cures

Abstract

Stem cells carry the remarkable ability to differentiate into different cell types while retaining the capability to self-replicate and maintain the characteristics of their parent cells, referred to as potency. Stem cells have been studied extensively to better understand human development and organogenesis. Because of advances in stem cell-based therapies, regenerative medicine has seen significant growth. Ophthalmic conditions, some of which are leading causes of blindness worldwide, are being treated with stem cell therapies. Great results have also been obtained in the treatment of oral and maxillofacial defects. Stem-cell-based therapies have great potential in the treatment of chronic medical conditions like diabetes and cardiomyopathy. The unique property of stem cells to migrate towards cancer cells makes them excellent vectors for the transportation of bioactive agents or for targeting cancer cells, both primary and metastatic. While these therapeutic strategies are extremely promising, they are not without limitations. Failure to completely eradicate the tumor and tumor relapse are some of those concerns. Stem cells share some characteristics with cancer stem cells, raising concerns for increasing the risk of cancer occurrence. Ethical concerns due to the fetal origin of stem cells and cost are other major obstacles in the large-scale implementation of such therapies.

Keywords: cell based therapy; engineered stem cells; hematology; immunotherapy; mesenchymal stem cell; naive stem cells; oncology; regenerative medicine; stem cell transplantation; stem cells.

Figure 1. Various stages of stem cell differentiation

Figure 2. Somatic stem cells can be harvested from the patient and reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (ipSCs) to create patient-specific therapies, reducing the risk of immune rejection

Figure 3. Each cell line of human iPSCs requires two to four months to develop, starting with the collection of primary cells, which are then reprogrammed, with efficiencies of approximately 0.01% to 0.1%, and grown into a sizable induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) population.

Figure 4. Keeping cells in culture for the long periods of time required to reprogram induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can also result in changes in potency in gene expression. This can result in cells that are not viable for therapeutic purposes, and those will have to be sorted through.