Resident Stem Cells and Regenerative Therapy

Regina Coeli dos Santos Goldenberg · Antonio Carlos Campos de Carvalho

Dec 2012 · Academic Press

About this ebook

In the last 3 decades, stem cells have greatly impacted the scientific and lay communities, providing huge advances in the treatment of devastating human diseases, including myocardial infarction, diabetes, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and osteoporosis. Alongside debates of induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells has been the discovery of adult stem cells in many different tissues. While these organ resident or progenitor stem cells offer prospects to contribute to tissue regeneration, they also present challenges because of the complexity of organ structures.

This book will present the main findings to date and the important factors to be considered when considering resident stem cells in regenerative therapies. Chapters on cardiac, brain, neural, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, bone, pancreatic, skin, and lung resident stem cells will assist in defining the level of success that has been achieved and the direction for the road ahead. With contributions from leading laboratories, open questions related to resident stem cells and regenerative therapies will also be presented for debate.

• Highlights basic research in tissue specific stem cells, experiments with animal models and clinical trials that are transforming the field of regeneration
• Provides a clear understanding of endogenous stem cells, their role in current regenerative therapies, and prospects for future research
• Reports on the main-stream clinical approaches and in vivo experiments published in primary literature to help categorizes the advances in various aspects of regenerative therapy and illustrate opportunities for clinical applications

About the author

Dr. Goldenberg is a Full Professor at the University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. She is a Collaborating Professor at UFRJ and Evaluating Professor at SINAES-INEP-Ministry of Education. She works in the area of Physiology, with emphasis on Cardiovascular and Hepatic Physiology, in the area of Cell Biology, with emphasis on cell culture, and in the area of Tissue Bioengineering, with emphasis on the generation of bio-artificial livers. Areas of focus in research involve intercellular communication, stem cells and cell therapies in heart and liver disease. Dr. Goldenberg is a member of the board of the Brazilian Association of Cell and Gene Therapy, Deputy Technical Responsible for the Cell Technology Center of the National Institute of Cardiology, and a member of the Latin Commission American Affairs Committee of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) since 2018.

Dr. Campos de Carvalho is a physiologist and a Full Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He’s also Visiting Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and has experience in Physiology and Biophysics, with emphasis on Cardiovascular Physiology, working mainly on the following topics: intercellular communication, stem cells and cell therapies. He has published over 200 full papers in indexed journals, edited 3 books and written 24 book chapters. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of the Developing World (TWAS). In 2012-2013 he held the positions of Director of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and Regional Director of TWAS for Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2008 he was awarded the National Order of Scientific Merit and in 2010 the National Order of Medical Merit.