Current Trends in the Use of Cell Therapy in Regenerative Medicine

Abstract

Cell therapy is a key tool of regenerative medicine, but until the beginning of the last decade, products based on viable human cells were used primarily to repair damaged tissues and organs. Currently, the field of application of biomedical cell products has expanded significantly, but researchers still show considerable interest in the use of human cells in regenerative medicine. The stage of development of cell products varies significantly depending on the type of tissue and pathology, and ranges from preclinical and pilot clinical trials to authorised drugs with a long history of use. On the one hand, this may be attributed to methodological differences in the production and use of cell products, and on the other, to specific aspects of differentiation of cell types used in regenerative medicine, primarily mesenchymal stem cells. The aim of this study was to analyse current trends in the use of cell therapy in regenerative medicine and prospects for using available technologies. The paper summarises the main achievements in the use of cell therapy for regeneration of skin, bone and cartilage, nervous and cardiovascular systems. The key mechanisms of cell therapy effect are determined, on the one hand, by the differentiation potential of multipotent cells, and on the other, by the complex (immunomodulating, angiogenic, proliferative) action of the proteome expressed by the administered cells. The paper describes viable cell-based products currently authorised for each indication, and analyses the level of their clinical use. It might be promising to use directed cell differentiation technologies, as well as induced pluripotent cells in regenerative medicine.