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Adult stem cells
Author(s) -
Young Henry E,
Black Asa C
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a18-b
Subject(s) - stem cell , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , adult stem cell , progenitor cell , induced pluripotent stem cell , cellular differentiation , totipotent , precursor cell , endothelial stem cell , induced stem cells , clinical uses of mesenchymal stem cells , immunology , embryonic stem cell , cell , genetics , gene , in vitro
Adult tissues contain a continuum of precursor cells, ranging from very primitive stem cells to tissue‐committed progenitor cells. The very primitive stem cells have essentially an unlimited proliferation potential and will form all cell types of the body. The tissue‐committed progenitor cells have a limited proliferation potential, and are very limited in their differentiation potential. They are the immediate precursors of adult differentiated tissues. All these precursor cells are located throughout the body during the postnatal lifespan of an individual. Precursor cells can be isolated from solid tissues using mechanical disruption and/or enzymatic digestion. The cells can be cultured, cloned, cryopreserved, and characterized utilizing unique cell surface markers and differentiation potentials. We have isolated, cloned, and characterized three categories of adult‐derived stem cells: totipotent stem cells, pluripotent stem cells, and germ layer lineage‐committed stem cells. Here we report the use of a genomically‐labeled adult‐derived very primitive stem cell clone in the following models: the regeneration of cardiac tissues following myocardial infarction, the formation of dopaminergic neurons in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, and the generation of three‐dimensional islet‐like structures that secrete species‐specific insulin after a glucose challenge. Because they are easily isolated from adults, adult‐derived stem cells are suitable for use in autologous replacement therapies and regenerative medicine. Grant sponsor: Rubye Ryle Smith Charitable Trust and MedCen Community Health Foundation.