Enhancing stem cell survival in vivo for tissue repair

The ability to use progenitor cells for regenerative medicine remains an evolving but elusive clinical goal. A serious obstacle towards widespread use of stem cells for tissue regeneration is the challenges that face these cells when they are placed in vivo into a wound for therapy. These environments are hypoxic, acidic, and have an upregulation of inflammatory mediators creating a region that is hostile towards cellular survival. Within this environment, the majority of progenitor cells undergo apoptosis prior to participating in lineage differentiation and cellular integration. In order to maximize the clinical utility of stem cells, strategies must be employed to increase the cell's ability to survive in vivo through manipulation of both the stem cell and the surrounding environment. This review focuses on current advances and techniques being used to increase in vivo stem cell survival for the purpose of tissue regeneration. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.