Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4
Low-risk, low-value:
adult stem cells
Abstract.
This chapter is less theoretical in orientation than the last,
turning to the detail of adult stem cells. The chapter includes a short
history on the origins of adult stem cells, including a discussion about
debates surrounding the identity of haematopoietic stem cells.
Examples from case studies include: Mesoblast, Regeneus, a contact
lens tissue transfer technique and the use of fat stem cells in cosmetic
surgery.
Keywords:
Mesoblast, Regeneus, haematopoietic stem cells, fat stem
cells, retinal epithelial cells
At this point in time, adult stem cells have led to some of the most
successful therapeutic and commercial products to emerge from the
stem cell sciences worldwide. At the time of writing there are a
number of adult stem cell based commercial applications already
available in the marketplace, with further applications undergoing
clinical trails in the US, EU and Australia. The target markets for
these products are diverse. As mentioned previously, proposed
treatments developed from adult stem cells include products designed
for both humans and animals.
There are still many unanswered scientific questions about adult
stem cells though. At this stage, they are thought to be found in most
parts of the human or animal body, although their existence has only
