What are stem cell-based therapies?
Stem cell-based therapies are treatments that involve inducing stem cells to differentiate into a specific cell type in order to replace or repair damaged or destroyed cells or tissues. Stem cell-based therapies are somewhat similar to organ transplantation, except that instead of organs, cells are transplanted either into the patient’s blood or directly into any diseased or damaged tissue or organ. Throughout the years, clinicians have developed advanced techniques for the collection of hematopoietic stem cells (from umbilical cord blood, bone marrow and peripheral blood) for use in bone marrow transplants. Other stem cell-based therapies include regeneration of skin and cornea. Although there have been successes in the field of stem cell science, the range of diseases for which there is proven and effective stem cell treatments remains small. While stem cells themselves have generated hope for new treatments to fight disease, by and large, stem cell based treatments are still at the
