Stem cells: a regenerative pharmaceutical

Stem cells (SC), found in both adult and fetal tissues, are self-renewing elements that can generate the various cell types in the body. There are 3 classes of SC: totipotent, multipotent, and pluripotent. The SC with a significant developmental potential are the embryonic stem (ES) cells, which are derived from the early stages of mammalian embryo. SC possess regenerative properties and this offers unprecedented opportunities for developing medical therapies for debilitating diseases. Hematopoietic SC have been used successfully in bone marrow transplants for over 40 years. Pluripotent SC offer renewable source of replacement of cells and tissues to treat a myriad of diseases. However there are limiting factors. Adult SC are rare and cannot multiply as the ES. Pluripotent SC have great therapeutic potential, but face technical challenges. A serious concern is the ethical issue since they are derived from human embryos or fetal tissue. Quite often SC have been targets of mutations and risk carcinogenesis. Various markers have been identified based on the uniqueness of SC receptors and in vivo tracking studies using nanocolloids and radioactive tracers have been performed. Though 111In-oxine has been used to image SC transplants, PET with a high spatial resolution would be ideal. Currently 2 agents are being studied, 18F-FDG and 64Cu-Pyruvaldehyde bi(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone). The following few pages bring forth the various limitations and summarize progress made in SC utilization so as to create awareness of SC research in ISORBE community and to foster strategy that ISORBE community can disseminate information and exchange knowledge on radio labeled SC.