Wykorzystanie potencjału regeneracyjnego mezenchymalnych komórek macierzystych

Aging and sedentary lifestyle contribute to the epidemic of diseases of civilization. This epidemic is thought to be related to the tissue wear and malfunction, and is not easily manageable by pharmacology and surgery. Recent advances in stem cell biology made tissue regeneration a realistic and approachable target. Cell therapy can be applied on its own or to enhance the existing treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are known for their universal supportive role and participation in reparative processes and as such are well suited for regenerative medicine. They naturally differentiate into connective tissue thus they are attractive candidates for orthopedic, spine and dental/craniomaxillofacial applications. There is also growing evidence that MSC are therapeutic for devastating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). While there is evidence about positive effects of MSC, the methods of cell harvesting, culture and preparation for transplantation need to be refined and further optimized. We hypothesize that establishing protocols for high-yield harvesting, optimization of cell culture conditions, including low oxygen environment as well as safe, clinically applicable cell engineering, will be pivotal to substantially maximize their therapeutic potential. To summarize, we propose to perform complex, multidisciplinary translation of MSC toward regenerative medicine.