Adult stem cells: a clinical update

There has been unprecedented interest in stem cell research mainly because of their true potential and hope that they offer to the patients as a cell therapy with the prospect to treat hitherto incurable diseases. Despite the worldwide interest and efforts that have been put in this research, major fundamental issues are still unresolved. Adult stem cells such as hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are already under clinical applications and there are several examples of plasticity and self-renewal where adult stem cells or their precursor cells can be re-programmed by extra cellular cues or internal cues to alter their character in a way that could have important application for cell therapy and regenerative medicine. From a clinical perspective, no other area of stem cell biology has been applied as successfully as has transplantation of bone marrow stem cells and cord blood stem cells for the treatment of hematological diseases. In the last few years, research in stem cell biology has expanded staggeringly, engendering new perspectives concerning the identity, origin, and full therapeutic potential of tissue-specific stem cells. This review will focus on the use of adult stem cells, its biology in the context of cell plasticity and their therapeutic potential for repair of different tissues and organs.