Stem cell autograft and allograft in autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by an insufficiency of immune tolerance and, although treated with a number of useful drugs, may need more unconventional therapeutic strategies for their more severe presentations. Among such unconventional therapeutic approaches, stem cell autograft and allograft have been used, with the aim of stimulating disease remission by modifying the pathogenic mechanisms that induce anomalous responses against self-antigens. Autologous transplantation is performed with the purpose of retuning autoimmune cells, whereas allogeneic transplantation is performed with the purpose of replacing anomalous immune effectors and mediators. In this article, we comprehensively review up-to-date information on the autoimmune diseases for which the transplantation of stem cells is indicated.