Therapeutic application of stem cells in gastroenterology: an up-date.
Adult stem cells represent the self-renewing progenitors of numerous body tissues, and they are currently classified according to their origin and differentiation ability. In recent years, the research on stem cells has expanded enormously and holds therapeutic promises for many patients suffering from currently disabling diseases. This paper focuses on the possible use of stem cells in the two main clinical settings in gastroenterology, i.e., hepatic and intestinal diseases, which have a strong impact on public health worldwide. Despite encouraging results obtained in both regenerative medicine and immune-mediated conditions, further studies are needed to fully understand the biology of stem cells and carefully assess their putative oncogenic properties. Moreover, the research on stem cells arouses fervent ethical, social and political debate. The Italian Society of Gastroenterology sponsored a workshop on stem cells held in Verona during the XVI Congress of the Federation of Italian Societies of Digestive Diseases (March 6-9, 2010). Here, we report on the issues discussed, including liver and intestinal diseases that may benefit from stem cell therapy, the biology of hepatic and intestinal tissue repair, and stem cell usage in clinical trials.
Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Gastroenterology Section, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy. burra@unipd.it
Patrizia
P
Burra
Debora
D
Bizzaro
Rachele
R
Ciccocioppo
Fabio
F
Marra
Anna Chiara
AC
Piscaglia
Laura
L
Porretti
Antonio
A
Gasbarrini
Francesco Paolo
FP
Russo
D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005355:Fibrosis; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous