Francipane Maria Giovanna, Cervello Melchiorre, Vizzini Giovanni Battista, Pietrosi Giada, Montalto Giuseppe
Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy," National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy; †Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy," National Research Council (CNR) , Palermo , Italy.
Cell Med. 2011 Jun 1;2(1):9-25. doi: 10.3727/215517911X575993. eCollection 2011.
The severe shortage of deceased donor organs has driven a search for alternative methods of treating liver failure. In this context, cell-based regenerative medicine is emerging as a promising interdisciplinary field of tissue repair and restoration, able to contribute to improving health in a minimally invasive fashion. Several cell types have allowed long-term survival in experimental models of liver injury, but their therapeutic potential in humans should be regarded with deep caution, because few clinical trials are currently available and the number of patients enrolled so far is too small to assess benefits versus risks. This review summarizes the current literature on the physiological role of endogenous stem cells in liver regeneration and on the therapeutic benefits of exogenous stem cell administration with specific emphasis on the potential clinical uses of mesenchymal stem cells. Moreover, critical points that still need clarification, such as the exact identity of the stem-like cell population exerting the beneficial effects, as well as the limitations of stem cell-based therapies, are discussed.
已故供体器官的严重短缺促使人们寻找治疗肝衰竭的替代方法。在此背景下，基于细胞的再生医学正在成为一个有前景的组织修复和恢复的跨学科领域，能够以微创方式促进健康改善。几种细胞类型在肝损伤实验模型中实现了长期存活，但其在人类中的治疗潜力应谨慎对待，因为目前可用的临床试验很少，且迄今为止纳入的患者数量太少，无法评估利弊。本综述总结了关于内源性干细胞在肝再生中的生理作用以及外源性干细胞给药的治疗益处的当前文献，特别强调了间充质干细胞的潜在临床应用。此外，还讨论了仍需澄清的关键点，如发挥有益作用的干细胞样细胞群体的确切身份，以及基于干细胞疗法的局限性。
