Cell-Based Therapy for Urethral Regeneration: A Narrative Review and Future Perspectives

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Urethral stricture significantly impacts quality of life, with current treatments like urethroplasty using autografts having limitations.
• Tissue engineering offers a promising alternative for repairing long-segment urethral strictures by constructing a urethra using seed cells and biomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and summarize the application and characteristics of various cell types used in urethral regeneration.
• To discuss potential future directions for cell-based therapies in treating urethral strictures.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on cell types in urethral regeneration.
• Analysis of cell characteristics and their application in tissue-engineered urethras.
• Identification of current challenges and future research avenues.

Main Results:

• Diverse cell types have been explored for urethral regeneration, each with unique properties.
• No definitive optimal strategy for cell source, selection, or application conditions currently exists.
• The field is rapidly evolving, highlighting the potential of cell-based therapies.

Conclusions:

• Cell-based tissue engineering presents a viable new approach for urethral stricture repair, particularly for extensive strictures.
• Further research is needed to establish optimal cell strategies for clinical translation.
• Advancements in cell selection and application conditions are crucial for successful urethral regeneration.