Experience of an applied use of stem cells

Abstract

The literary review deals with analyzing the information found in the scientific literature concerning the practical use of stem cells for the treatment of different diseases. The most essential and promising source of stem cells is umbilical blood. Practical use of stem cells is of particular difficulty. An important effect of stem cells that must be kept in mind is a specific aberration of their properties in the experiments carried out "in vivo" and "in vitro". Induced pluripotential stem cells have become mainly spread to be introduced into practice. It is associated with the fact that, as a rule, this type of cells is genetically compatible with a certain organism. This literary review presents both the major historical landmarks in the development of science concerning the applied use of stem cells and the latest data of the scientific literature. Joseph Altman’s discovery of adult neurogenesis, who confirmed the existence of stem cells of the brain, has become sensational. One of the most investigated issues is the process of differentiation of the human pluripotential stem cells into neurons and astrocytes. This differentiation was first described in 2001. In this respect, the liver is of special interest to cellular biologists who deal with stem cells. Two types of cells in the liver of an adult claim to be stem cells: hepatocytes under extreme conditions (partial hepatectomy) acquire properties of unipotential stem cells able to form only one type of differential cells of a lower level; poorly differentiated oval cells possessing biopotential properties, that is, able to form both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. In dentistry and oral surgery, transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells can be used for the restoration of bone tissue or regeneration of the dental tissue. During transplantation, stem cells isolated from the bone marrow can provide restoration of the damaged osseous tissue of the face, and cells isolated from the tooth pulp restore dentin. Our review of scientific literature concerning the questions of investigation of stem cells is indicative of considerable interest of scientists in this issue. It should be noted that foreign scientific literature on the issue prevails considerably. It is reasonable to indicate that amount of scientific research carried out by our domestic scientists is not adequate. Thus, considering the above, the subject of our study is rather relevant.