Blood: the last 20 years of discovery

Throughout the last few years, significant attention is being paid to progenitor cells, whose isolation has enhanced the understanding of biology of tissue formation and regeneration. Hematopoietic stem cells are historically the most well studied, they have been shown to provide the best chance for patients who undergo bone marrow transplantation, peripheral blood cell transplantation and cord blood transplantation. To date, the therapeutical potential of stem cells has become increasingly evident in many diseases, leading, beyond the classical procedures, to the implementation of non-haematological trials.