Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative Medicine is a branch of medicine that focuses on methods to regrow, repair or replace damaged or diseased cells, organs or tissues. It includes a variety of scientific disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, computer science and genetics.

Regenerative medicine deals with the process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function. This field holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by stimulating the body's own repair mechanisms to functionally heal previously irreparable tissues or organs.

History

The term "Regenerative Medicine" was first used in a 1992 article on hospital administration by Leland Kaiser. Kaiser’s paper closes with a series of short paragraphs on future technologies that will impact hospitals. One paragraph had ‘‘Regenerative Medicine’’ as a bold print title and stated, "A new branch of medicine will develop that attempts to change the course of chronic disease and in many instances will regenerate tired and failing organ systems."

Techniques and Therapies

Regenerative medicine techniques and therapies include stem cell therapy, tissue engineering, and gene therapy. These techniques often involve the use of stem cells, which have the ability to differentiate into a variety of different cell types.

Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use.

Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering is a sub-field of regenerative medicine that applies the principles of biology and engineering to the development of functional substitutes for damaged tissue.

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy involves the introduction, removal, or change in genetic material within a patient’s cells to treat or prevent disease.

Future Directions

The future of regenerative medicine may include the generation of tissues and organs in the lab that can be used for transplantation, reducing the need for organ donations.

See Also

• Stem cell
• Tissue engineering
• Gene therapy
• Biomedical engineering
• Transplantation

References

Regenerative Medicine Resources
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