Stem cells and tissue engineering applications of the genitourinary tract

The field of regenerative medicine continues to make substantial advancements in therapeutic strategies addressing urologic diseases. Tissue engineering borrows principles from the fields of cell biology, materials science, transplantation and engineering in an effort to repair or replace damaged tissues. This review is intended to provide a current overview of the use of stem cells and tissue engineering technologies specifically in the treatment of genitourinary diseases. Current themes in the field include the use of adult stem cells seeded onto biocompatible resorbable matrices for implantation as tissue substitutes, which is conducive to host tissue in-growth. Injection therapy of adult stem cells for organ rehabilitation is also making strong headway toward the restoration of organ structure and function. With new data describing the molecular mechanisms for differentiation, work has begun on targeting tissues for regeneration by genetic modification methods. Promising laboratory discoveries portend the emergence of a new class of clinical therapies for regenerative medicine applications in the genitourinary tract.