Autologous cell therapy: current treatments and future prospects 

Autologous cell therapy (ACT) is a novel therapeutic intervention that uses an individual's cells, which are cultured and expanded outside the body, and reintroduced into the donor. Advantages of such an approach include the minimization of risks from systemic immunological reactions, bio-incompatibility, and disease transmission associated with grafts or cells not cultivated from the individual. So far, this form of therapy has been used successfully to bioengineer skin substitutes, aid wound healing, counteract chronic inflammation, treat burns and pressure ulcers, and improve postoperative healing. The authors will review the promising outcomes of various therapeutic interventions using ACT, as well as the concerns raised with using explanted material, and any potential alteration through the cultivation process. This review will discuss its role in assisting the healing process of conditions such as a damaged myocardium, developing hyaline cartilage, and in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and other ailments that benefit from the immediate availability of a donor. The use of ACT for cosmetic enhancement or corrective surgery is also gaining recognition as a creditable form of treatment and has been shown to reduce the risk of rejection and to have longer lasting effects than conventional treatments. This form of treatment is under intense investigation with the hope that it will eventually be able to replace conventional forms of plastic surgery to improve the repair process of aging or damaged tissues. .