Somatic Stem Cell Therapies

Abstract

Resident stem cells or somatic stem cells (SSCs), are a population of undifferentiated cells within a differentiated organ and in a specialized cell. These cells participate in the regulation of homeostasis and tissue repair. Somatic stem cells are self-renewing and can be activated to multiply and differentiate as needed. They are identified in many tissues, including the heart, blood, muscle, skin, and brain. Extensive preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the functional and structural regeneration capabilities of these SSCs, such as mesenchymal stromal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells, and resident. Somatic stem cells are used to treat disorders of the brain, pancreas, eyes, and heart. Organoids are in vitro cultured 3D structures that outline important aspects of organs in vivo. They derived from SSCs benefit from the cell-driven process of tissue regeneration and can be created directly from the diseased or healthy epithelium of many organs. Among the various SSCs, mesenchymal stem cells, especially those derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue, may be a treatment for diabetic retinopathy. These cells exert their therapeutic effects through paracrine mechanisms. In addition to secretory proteins, SSCs release extracellular vesicles that send their contents to target cells. One of the most promising applications of these vesicles with SSCs is cancer therapy. Furthermore, SSC-extracellular vesicles can be modified to improve targeted drug delivery. The ease of use and therapeutic effects of SSCs have made them candidates for cellular therapeutics. In this chapter, the concept of SSCs and SSC therapy, the use of SSCs, their applications, and their relationship with diseases will be discussed.

Cite this article as: Demirezen A, Erbaş O. Somatic Stem Cell Therapies. JEB Med Sci 2024;5(1):50-59.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.