Cell-Based Therapy Approaches: The Hope for Incurable Diseases

Abstract

Cell therapies aim to repair the mechanisms underlying disease initiation and progression, achieved through trophic effect or by cell replacement. Multiple cell types can be utilized in such therapies, including stem, progenitor or primary cells. This review covers the current state of cell therapies designed for the prominent disorders, including cardiovascular, neurological (Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury), autoimmune (Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease), ophthalmologic, renal, liver and skeletal (osteoarthritis) diseases. Various cell therapies have reached advanced clinical trial phases with potential marketing approvals in the near future, many of which are based on mesenchymal stem cells. Advances in pluripotent stem cell research hold great promise for regenerative medicine. The information presented in this review is based on the analysis of the cell therapy collection detailed in LifeMap Discovery^® (LifeMap Sciences Inc., USA) the database of embryonic development, stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

Keywords::

• autoimmune diseases
• cardiovascular diseases
• cell therapy
• mesenchymal stem cells
• neurological diseases
• pluripotent stem cells
• regenerative medicine
• stem cell therapy
• stem cell transplantation

Financial and competing interests disclosure

LifeMap Discovery is a database and portal developed by LifeMap Sciences. All authors are paid employees or consultants of LifeMap Sciences. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to all the Future Medicine policies on sharing data and materials. The authors have no other 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 apart from those disclosed.

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