Basic science of regenerative biology and application to regenerative medicine: Past, present, and future

The concept of tissue regeneration is ancient; the earliest known written reference to it is found in Hesiod’s Theogony. Prometheus’ liver regenerated after being consumed. This type of tissue regeneration is known as regenerative hypertrophy. Regenerative biology advanced significantly in the 18th and 19th centuries and it was during this period that the first reference to the term “stem cell” was recorded; however, the term was used significantly differently than the definition it contains today (a clonal entity able to self-renew and displays asymmetric division). Although the history of regenerative medicine, regenerative biology, and tissue regeneration is ancient, significant findings have occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries, and recently, after a period of neglect, many findings of these time frames have resurfaced and changed the way the field experts understand regenerating tissue. This translates itself into regenerative medicine regarding how to think about the technologies available to the clinician practicing regenerative medicine. That is, basic science should guide the clinical use of available methods and tools used. The tools themselves (eg, cellular therapy) are not synonymous with the practice of regenerative medicine. Rather they are tools in the arsenal of the practicing physician. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of the history of regenerative biology and medicine, the progression of the basic science of regenerative biology, and to include discussions that are focused on translating the basic science of regenerative biology into regenerative medicine. This is not a structured and comprehensive review of all the history and aspects of regenerative biology and regenerative medicine, but merely incorporates several key points to provide evidence of the topics discussed in this article.