title: [Physiopathology and possible clinical use of hematopoietic stem cells. Recent advances].
abstract: Studies carried out during these last years have lead to a considerable improvement in the understanding of the biology of hematopoietic stem cells. The development of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation had a considerable impact on the therapy of leukemias. The improvement in transplantation protocols allowed the development of allogenic transplantations in which the graft versus tumor contributes to the anti-tumor effects. In parallel many growth factors acting on hematopoietic cells have been isolated and used in clinic to stimulate hematopoietic recovery and stem cell mobilization. Finally, malignant stem cells have been isolated and characterized in acute and chronic leukemias: these cells are responsible for the development and maintenance of the leukemic process and must be eradicated to obtain an effective treatment of leukemias.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ematologia, Oncologia e Medicina Molecolare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma.
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Testa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D020544:Graft vs Leukemia Effect; D020350:Graft vs Tumor Effect; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000628:therapy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000628:therapy*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D019089:Stem Cell Factor