Devices for stem cell isolation and delivery: current need for drug discovery and cell therapy

Abstract

Isolation and purification of stem cells and their delivery into diseased or aged tissues or organs need special devices for proper transplantation of stem cells in order to achieve high cell retention at transplant site for repair or regeneration of tissues and organs. The clinical and preclinical importance of special devices such as Celution System, Isolex cell separation device, magnetic surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic dots, microfluidic devices, immunomagnetic cell separation for stem cell separation and isolation are the main focus in this paper. Further, devices like trans-coronary delivery, trans-endocardial delivery, intracoronary delivery devices for stem cell application to the heart are described. Devices for stem cell application to the brain, the spinal cord and other tissues are also explained. We highlighted scaffolds with incorporated stem cells and other encapsulation devices used to transplant stem cells. Current needs of devices for stem cells isolation, purification and delivery for drug discovery and cell therapy are discussed.

Keywords:

• cell isolation
• encapsulation device
• intramyocardial injection catheter
• medical devices
• stem cell isolation
• stem cell therapy
• stem cell transplantation

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• Stem cell therapy has the potential to treat the most common degenerative diseases because of its regenerative ability.

• Cell cultures are a common way to gain stem cells.

• New separation devices have the ability to purify stem cells fast with a high degree of purity.

• Delivery devices are needed for a safe and reliable transplantation of stem cells into a specific tissue.

• New approaches in the therapy of cardiac insufficiency often include stem cells, injected into the myocardium during surgery or using special catheters during interventions.

• The efficiency and possibilities of stem cell-based therapy to treat neurodegenerative diseases are under investigation and new devices are currently evolving.

• Incorporation of stem cells is a new branch of cell-based therapies and needs further research to assess the possibilities of these techniques.