Cell therapy for liver diseases: current medicine and future promises.
Liver diseases are a major health problem worldwide since they usually represent the main causes of death in most countries, causing excessive costs to public health systems. Nowadays, there are no efficient current therapies for most hepatic diseases and liver transplant is infrequent due to the availability of organs, cost and risk of transplant rejection. Therefore, alternative therapies for liver diseases have been developed, including cell-based therapies. Stem cells (SCs) are characterized by their self-renewing capacity, unlimited proliferation and differentiation under certain conditions into tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. Cell-based therapies for liver diseases have been successful in experimental models, showing anti-inflammatory, antifibrogenic and regenerative effects. Nowadays, clinical trials using SCs for liver pathologies are increasing in number, and those that have reached publication have achieved favorable effects, encouraging us to think that SCs will have a potential clinical use in a short time.
Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Health Sciences University Center, Institute for Molecular Biology and Gene Therapy, University of Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44340, México.
Meza-Ríos
MR
Alejandra
Armendáriz-Borunda
AB
Juan
Sandoval-Rodríguez
SR
Ana
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D010641:Phenotype; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
cell therapy; clinical trials; fibrosis; liver disease; progenitor cells; stem cells