EU Project Highlights Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Healthcare
Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.
International experts have collaborated on one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of reviews focusing on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
These cells are the progenitors of multiple cell lineages, including bone, cartilage, muscle, adipose tissue and astrocytes, and are believed to hold the key to tissue regeneration.
The collection is published in the latest issue of Regenerative Medicine, and reflects research efforts across Europe from the different centers that comprise the Genostem Integrated Project.
This special focus report, published by Future Medicine Ltd, is available until 1st September 2006.
The Genostem Project involves a consortium of scientists from 11 European countries and Israel. It received a total of 8.7 million Euro under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' thematic priority of the European Union’s Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to investigate new advances in cell-based therapies for the regeneration of connective tissue.
MSCs are pluripotent cells present in many adult mesenchymal tissues as synovium, muscle, adipose tissue and bone marrow. These cells are excellent candidates for use in cell therapy for tissue regeneration because they are easily isolated and can be rapidly amplified for therapeutic applications.
The report, written by some of the worlds’ leading experts, examines all aspects of the current literature on MSCs, including advances in cellular differentiation, tissue engineering, proteomics, 3D scaffolding and tissue regeneration.
In the report, Jean-Thomas Viquin of Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, and Philippe Rosset of Hôpital Trousseau, Tours, state, “The potential applications of [MSCs in] cell therapy and engineering are plethoric, given the numerous indications and the existing and the anticipated medical and socio-economic needs. New, innovative, imaginative and clinically driven solutions will be proposed within the next decade. In the future, every clearly individualized indication may benefit from a specific therapeutic strategy.”
The full collection includes nine reviews, extending to more than 100 pages dedicated to this rapidly evolving field.
