Genes and Diseases (Dec 2019)

Stem cell therapy for chronic skin wounds in the era of personalized medicine: From bench to bedside

  • Elam Coalson,
  • Elliot Bishop,
  • Wei Liu,
  • Yixiao Feng,
  • Mia Spezia,
  • Bo Liu,
  • Yi Shen,
  • Di Wu,
  • Scott Du,
  • Alexander J. Li,
  • Zhenyu Ye,
  • Ling Zhao,
  • Daigui Cao,
  • Alissa Li,
  • Ofir Hagag,
  • Alison Deng,
  • Winny Liu,
  • Mingyang Li,
  • Rex C. Haydon,
  • Lewis Shi,
  • Aravind Athiviraham,
  • Michael J. Lee,
  • Jennifer Moriatis Wolf,
  • Guillermo A. Ameer,
  • Tong-Chuan He,
  • Russell R. Reid

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 4
pp. 342 – 358

Abstract

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With the significant financial burden of chronic cutaneous wounds on the healthcare system, not to the personal burden mention on those individuals afflicted, it has become increasingly essential to improve our clinical treatments. This requires the translation of the most recent benchtop approaches to clinical wound repair as our current treatment modalities have proven insufficient. The most promising potential treatment options rely on stem cell-based therapies. Stem cell proliferation and signaling play crucial roles in every phase of the wound healing process and chronic wounds are often associated with impaired stem cell function. Clinical approaches involving stem cells could thus be utilized in some cases to improve a body's inhibited healing capacity. We aim to present the laboratory research behind the mechanisms and effects of this technology as well as current clinical trials which showcase their therapeutic potential. Given the current problems and complications presented by chronic wounds, we hope to show that developing the clinical applications of stem cell therapies is the rational next step in improving wound care. Keywords: Chronic inflammation, Chronic wounds, Growth factors, Personalized medicine, Skin, Stem cells, Wound healing