Therapeutic applications of stem-cells

In the last years stem cells (SC) have generated huge expectations and have become a new hope for the development of novel cell therapies in the context of regenerative medicine. So far, the hypothetic therapeutic effects of SC, both of embryonic and adult origin, have been demonstrated only in a very few cases. Embryonic SC are pluripotential and have, in theory, more plasticity to differentiate into a wide range of cell or tissue types. However, the society still has to decide on the ethics of its use. Regarding adult SC, they are readily available and are fully matched. However, whether their potential will translate into therapeutic benefits in humans needs to be determined as yet. This article is intended to give a general overview on this field, based on the current scientific knowledge.