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Nanotechnology in Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy and Its Applications
Published in Harishkumar Madhyastha, Durgesh Nandini Chauhan, Nanopharmaceuticals in Regenerative Medicine, 2022
ESCs originate from the blastocyst stage and divide the tissue to become derivatives of germ layers, further leading to the formation of all types of cells. Transcription factors such as octamer-binding transcription factor-4 (OCT4)and SRY-related high-mobility group box protein-2 (SOX2) are responsible for the pluripotency and self-renewal nature. The blastocyst forms the inner and outer cell mass; the inner cell mass forms embryos and the external cell mass forms the placenta. Specific conditions are maintained in growing ESC lines to separate the cells from the inner cell layer of trophoblasts and transfer them to a culture dish (Bongso 2006). In 1998, Thomson isolated human ESCs and divided them into more than 200 categories of cells, which is promising for the treatment of various diseases, described in the next session of this chapter.
Biological-Derived Biomaterials for Stem Cell Culture and Differentiation
Published in Gilson Khang, Handbook of Intelligent Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 2017
Lately, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) which are derived from inner cell mass of preimplantation embryos become popular candidates for cell therapy. The pluripotent nature of ES cells gives them the ability to differentiate into any one of the three germ layers: endoderm, ectoderm, and mesoderm. ESCs also have the unique property of indefinite self-renewal (i.e., they can be cultured and maintained in an undifferentiated, pluripotent state). Thus, ESCs have the potential to differentiate into almost all cell types.10 In addition, ESCs are being used to understand the complex molecular and cellular events that occur in early development and disease progression; epigenetics and pathophysiology; and drug development, screening, and toxicology.
Overview of Recent Trends in Stem Cell Bioprocessing
Published in V. Sivasubramanian, Bioprocess Engineering for a Green Environment, 2018
M. Jerold, V. Sivasubramanian, K. Vasantharaj, C. Vigneshwaran
Stem cells are widely used as potential cell-based therapy for various diseases. Figure 15.7 shows the steps involved in stem cell manufacturing for cell therapy. Stem cell-based therapy is the process of introducing stem cells into tissue to treat a disease with or without the addition of gene therapy. The successful isolation of stem cells from the inner cell mass of early embryos has provided a powerful tool for biological research. Stem cells can give rise to almost all cell lineages and are the most promising cells for regenerative medicine (Wei et al., 2013). In cell therapy, MSCs are more widely used than ESCs are due to various limitations and compatibility issues. MSCs, also called mesenchymal stromal cells, are a subset of nonhematopoietic adult stem cells that originate from the mesoderm (Wei et al., 2013). MSCs exist in almost all tissues. They can be easily isolated from bone marrow, adipose tissue, the umbilical cord, fetal liver, muscle, and lung and can be successfully expanded in vitro. Figure 15.6 shows the stages involved in vitro manufacturing of stem cells for cell therapy. Currently around the world, there are 344 registered clinical trials in different phases aimed at evaluating the potential of MSC-based cell therapy (Wei et al., 2013). Stem cells are used to treat musculoskeletal and skin diseases (Schnitzler et al., 2016). However, they are also used to treat acute conditions such as cardiovascular or stroke events, as well as immunological dysfunctions. Celyad (formerly Cardio3 Biosciences) is using hMSCs differentiated to a cardiac progenitor lineage in a phase 3 clinical trial to treat congestive heart failure (Schnitzler et al., 2016).
Persons, Moral Worth, and Embryos. A Critical Analysis of Pro-Choice Arguments
Published in The New Bioethics, 2021
The biology of the embryo is addressed in the book’s second section. Maureen Condic (Chapter 11) shows the human embryo is a whole organism. She defines a human embryo as a ‘discrete, living, biological entity with a human nuclear genome that (1) initiates a globally organized and coordinated (i.e. ‘organismal’) developmental process having the potential to proceed up to or beyond the stage at which the trophectoderm and inner cell mass are formed, and (2) has arisen from either, (i) the fusion of the plasma membranes of a human oocyte and a human sperm or (ii) any other event or procedure that initiates such an organized developmental process, and (3) has not yet proceeded through 8 weeks of development since initiation of such an organized developmental process’ (p. 220-1). Defending each point in turn, her definition proves practically useful: incorporating embryos formed in both natural and laboratory settings; and, distinguishing organisms from mere tissue.