Stem cell therapy has brought hope for patients with various diseases for which no adequate treatments are available. Stem cell therapy has many strengths and advantages. Some stem cells have the potential to replace injured cells and regenerate on their own. In addition, stem cells produce a large number of growth factors that act on a variety of mechanisms to produce therapeutic effects. Stem cells have the potential to home to the location where they are needed, i.e., stem cells can move to or around a lesion, even when they are administered intravenously. Moreover, stem cells act according to their situation and location. Stem cell therapy has not only anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects but also regenerative effects, including the ability to enhance angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Therefore, there is more possibility for stem cell therapy to be effective when administered even at later time point. Offering these strengths and advantages, stem cell therapy may be able to provide therapeutic effects that are not provided by conventional drugs.
In the development of treatments for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE), several safety and ethical concerns are associated with the use of embryonic stem cells or neural stem cells. However, after the confirmation of their efficacy and safety via animal experiments, treatments using cord blood stem cells and Muse cells have started undergoing clinical trials. If treatments based on cell formulation are developed, which can be administered intravenously, it will become possible to treat many neonates with HIE.
In the development of treatments for cerebral palsy, clinical trials are ahead of basic research. Several clinical trials have already been reported, and their findings have mainly shown therapeutic effects related to motor skills. Regarding chronic lung diseases, many basic experimental results have been reported and clinical trials are also being conducted. In addition, clinical trials for the treatment of intraventricular hemorrhage are currently underway. Furthermore, animal experiments have been conducted in order to develop treatments for necrotizing enterocolitis, periventricular leukomalacia, and fetal growth restriction. Subsequently, additional future developments are expected in stem cell therapy for various diseases.
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