The future of replacement and restorative therapies: from organ transplantation to regenerative medicine.

As we continue to have severe shortages of organs for transplantation, we need to consider alternatives for the future. The most likely to make a real difference in the long term is regenerative medicine (RM), a field that has emerged from the conjunction of stem cell biology and cell therapies; gene therapy; biomaterials and tissue engineering; and organ transplantation. Transplantation and RM share the same essential goal: to replace or restore organ function. Herein I briefly review some major breakthroughs of RM that are relevant to the future of organ transplantation, with a focus on the needs of people in the developing world. A definition of RM is provided and the ethical, legal, and social issues are briefly highlighted. In conclusion, I provide a projection of what the future may be for RM.