title: Defining stem cell types: understanding the therapeutic potential of ESCs, ASCs, and iPS cells.
abstract: Embryonic, adult, artificially reprogrammed, and cancer…- there are various types of cells associated with stemness. Do they have something fundamental in common? Are we applying a common name to very different entities? In this review, we will revisit the characteristics that define 'pluripotency', the main property of stem cells (SCs). For each main type of physiological (embryonic and adult) or synthetic (induced pluripotent) SCs, markers and functional behavior in vitro and in vivo will be described. We will review the pioneering work that has led to obtaining human SC lines, together with the problems that have arisen, both in a biological context (DNA alterations, heterogeneity, tumors, and immunogenicity) and with regard to ethical concerns. Such problems have led to proposals for new operative procedures for growing human SCs of sufficiently high quality for use as models of disease and in human therapy. Finally, we will review the data from the first clinical trials to use various types of SCs.
authors: Centro de Investigaciones Medicas e Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias (CIMUS-IDIS), Department of Physiology, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), C/Barcelona S/N, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. clara.alvarez@usc.es
authors: Clara V
authors: CV
authors: Alvarez
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Garcia-Lavandeira
authors: Maria E R
authors: ME
authors: Garcia-Rendueles
authors: Esther
authors: E
authors: Diaz-Rodriguez
authors: Angela R
authors: AR
authors: Garcia-Rendueles
authors: Sihara
authors: S
authors: Perez-Romero
authors: Tania Vila
authors: TV
authors: Vila
authors: Joana S
authors: JS
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Pamela V
authors: PV
authors: Lear
authors: Susana B
authors: SB
authors: Bravo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006084:Graft Rejection; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015398:Signal Transduction; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; C475540:Nanog protein, mouse; D051176:beta Catenin