Harnessing the Potential of Stem Cells from Different Sources for Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Recent advances in bioengineering and stem cell research have pushed tissue engineering to the forefront in countering the increasing demand for replacement of damaged tissues and organs. Stem cells from different sources exhibit different behaviors in terms of differentiation ability, self-renewing ability, surface marker expressions, response to extracellular matrices, and other external biomechanical stimuli. Thus, identifying and isolating stem cells from appropriate sources is crucial to successfully engineer tissues in vitro, which mimics the native human tissue phenotypes - including bone, heart, cartilage, and neurons. Based on their sources, stem cells can be broadly classified into embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Understanding the behavior, molecular mechanisms, and cell-biomaterial interactions of these stem cells will advance our knowledge to effectively tailor their functions for specific biomedical applications. This chapter highlights the importance of the sources of stem cells to engineer tissues and organs and summarizes its diverse applications in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.