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Uterine Stem Cells and Their Future Therapeutic Potential in Regenerative Medicine

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Imaging in Stem Cell Transplant and Cell-based Therapy

Part of the book series: Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine ((STEMCELL))

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Abstract

Recent studies have identified the presence of multipotent stem cell populations in the endometrium. These cells, termed as endometrial stem cells (EnSC), are readily available source of regenerating cells that comprise of a population of epithelial stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, side population stem cells and endometrial regenerative cells. EnSC research has grown rapidly over the last decade with promising therapeutic applications. Increasing evidences suggest their immense potential in cell-based therapies. The ease in harvesting and maintenance of EnSCs in culture for many generations gives them an advantage over existing sources of adult stem cells. Therapeutic application of EnSCs has been promising in several diseases and/or degenerative conditions such as myocardial infarction, stroke, parkinson’s disease, bone regeneration etc. Their role was also explored in tissue engineering applications. EnSCs are effective immunomodulators and their anti-inflammatory and angiogenic properties provide therapeutic benefits in transplantation therapies. The role of EnSCs in targeting glioma conditions has also been demonstrated with success in animal models. Although a lot of information has been gained in the field of EnSC research over the past 11 years since its discovery in 2004, several important concerns remain. For example, EnSCs has been linked to the pathogenesis of several gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis, endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial cancer and adenomyosis. This review gives an update on recent advancements in the field of EnSCs with focus on their varied utilities in therapeutic/clinical research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Innate Immunity, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Parel, Mumbai, India

    K. G. Aghila Rani Post Doc Fellow & Taruna Madan Ph.D.

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  1. K. G. Aghila Rani Post Doc Fellow
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  2. Taruna Madan Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Taruna Madan Ph.D. .

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  1. Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    Tarun Pandey

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Rani, K.G.A., Madan, T. (2017). Uterine Stem Cells and Their Future Therapeutic Potential in Regenerative Medicine. In: Pandey, T. (eds) Imaging in Stem Cell Transplant and Cell-based Therapy. Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51833-6_10

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