The engineering of tissues using progenitor cells.
The "engineering" of a tissue implies that it can be constructed by assembling the necessary components. However, tissues are formed through an evolving, interactive process, not through a collection of parts. This chapter focuses on the biology of the progenitor cell, the native precursor to new tissue, and its role in neogenesis, or the de novo generation of functional tissue. We present a working hypothesis for the generation of parenchymal cell populations and use this hypothesis as a basis for analysis of three parenchymal populations, epidermal cells, hepatocytes of the liver, and pancreatic islets, with a view toward what impact this information will have on the development of cell therapies. By comparing developmental processes, response to injury and disease, and behavior in vitro, we conclude that the adult progenitor cell retains the potential for substantial growth and organ neogenesis and that its biological properties make it the cell of first choice for the engineering of tissues.
Parenteau
Nancy L
NL
Amaranth Bio, Inc. Watertown, Massachusetts 02472, USA.
Rosenberg
Lawrence
L
Hardin-Young
Janet
J
D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014945:Wound Healing