Utilization of Stem Cells in Medicine: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Regenerative medicine holds significant promise for addressing diseases and irreversible damage that are challenging to treat with conventional methods, making it a prominent research focus in modern medicine. Research on stem cells, a key area within regenerative medicine due to their self-renewal capabilities, is expanding, positioning them as a novel therapeutic option. Stem cells, utilized in various treatments, are categorized based on their differentiation potential and the source tissue. The term 'stem cell' encompasses a broad spectrum of cells, which can be derived from embryonic tissues, adult tissues, or generated by reprogramming differentiated cells. These cells, applied across numerous medical disciplines including cardiovascular, neurological, and hematological disorders, as well as wound healing, demonstrate varying therapeutic applications based on their differentiation capacities, each presenting unique advantages and limitations. Nevertheless, the existing literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis examining stem cell therapy and its cellular subtypes across different medical specialties. This review addresses this lacuna by collectively categorizing contemporary stem cell research according to medical specialty and stem cell classification, offering an exhaustive analysis of their respective benefits and constraints, thereby elucidating multifaceted perspectives on the clinical implementation of this therapeutic modality.

Keywords: cell therapy; embryonic tissue; pluripotency; regenerative medicine; stem cells.

Figure 1

Differentiation Stages of Stem Cells.