Stem cell properties, current legal status and medical application

Stem cells due to their unique properties of self-renewal and differentiation play a potential role in the process of damaged tissue repair. Isolated from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst have pluripotential properties and are called embryonic stem cells (ESC). Pluripotential stem cells can be also generated from the differentiated cells by the process of reprogramming and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Stem cells isolated from tissues (somatic or adult stem cells) are more restricted in their differentiation potential and referred as multipotent. The rapid rise in number of clinical trials using somatic stem cells is due to their proved in basic and preclinical studies therapeutic safety and paracrine properties to modulate microenvironment. Increased translation to the clinic of studies using adult stem cells provide hope for patients with diseases for which traditional medicine is powerless. or ineffective. On the other hand progress in iPSC technology allows to derive disease models and personalize future clinical diagnosis and treatment. This paper will focus on characteristics of stem cells, potential application in regenerative medicine, and the current legal status of cell therapy.