title: Our Fat Future: Translating Adipose Stem Cell Therapy.
abstract: Human adipose stem cells (hASCs) have the potential to treat patients with a variety of clinical conditions. Recent advancements in translational research, regulatory policy, and industry have positioned hASCs on the threshold of clinical translation. We discuss the progress and challenges of bringing adipose stem cell therapy into mainstream clinical use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article details the advances made in recent years that have helped move human adipose stem cell therapy toward mainstream clinical use from a translational research, regulatory policy, and industrial standpoint. Four recurrent themes in translational technology as they pertain to human adipose stem cells are discussed: automated closed-system operations, biosensors and real-time monitoring, biomimetics, and rapid manufacturing. In light of recent FDA guidance documents, regulatory concerns about adipose stem cell therapy are discussed. Finally, an update is provided on the current state of clinical trials and the emerging industry that uses human adipose stem cells. This article is expected to stimulate future studies in translational adipose stem cell research.
authors.affiliation: Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Nordberg
authors.affiliation: Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA egloboa@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Loboa
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D057205:Automation, Laboratory / Q000295:instrumentation; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000078329:Workforce