Burra P, Bizzaro D, Ciccocioppo R, Marra F, Piscaglia AC, Porretti L, Gasbarrini A, Russo FP. Therapeutic application of stem cells in gastroenterology: An up-date. World J Gastroenterol 2011; 17(34): 3870-3880 [PMID: 22025875 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i34.3870]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Patrizia Burra, MD, PhD, Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Gastroenterology Section, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy. burra@unipd.it
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 14, 2011; 17(34): 3870-3880 Published online Sep 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i34.3870
Therapeutic application of stem cells in gastroenterology: An up-date
Patrizia Burra, Debora Bizzaro, Rachele Ciccocioppo, Fabio Marra, Anna Chiara Piscaglia, Laura Porretti, Antonio Gasbarrini, Francesco Paolo Russo
Patrizia Burra, Debora Bizzaro, Francesco Paolo Russo, Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Gastroenterology Section, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy
Rachele Ciccocioppo, First Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Fabio Marra, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
Anna Chiara Piscaglia, Antonio Gasbarrini, Department of Internal Medicine, Gemelli Hospital “Gastrointestinal and Liver Stem Cell Research Group” (GILSteR), Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Roma, Italy
Laura Porretti, Center of Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapy and Cryobiology, IRCCS Fondazione Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, 20122 Milano, Italy
Author contributions: Burra P, Bizzaro D, Ciccocioppo R, Marra F, Piscaglia AC, Porretti L, Gasbarrini A, and Russo FP wrote and approved the paper.
Correspondence to: Patrizia Burra, MD, PhD, Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Gastroenterology Section, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy. burra@unipd.it
Telephone: +39-049-8212892 Fax: +39-049-8760820
Received: December 29, 2010 Revised: March 7, 2011 Accepted: March 14, 2011 Published online: September 14, 2011
Abstract
Adult stem cells represent the self-renewing progenitors of numerous body tissues, and they are currently classified according to their origin and differentiation ability. In recent years, the research on stem cells has expanded enormously and holds therapeutic promises for many patients suffering from currently disabling diseases. This paper focuses on the possible use of stem cells in the two main clinical settings in gastroenterology, i.e., hepatic and intestinal diseases, which have a strong impact on public health worldwide. Despite encouraging results obtained in both regenerative medicine and immune-mediated conditions, further studies are needed to fully understand the biology of stem cells and carefully assess their putative oncogenic properties. Moreover, the research on stem cells arouses fervent ethical, social and political debate. The Italian Society of Gastroenterology sponsored a workshop on stem cells held in Verona during the XVI Congress of the Federation of Italian Societies of Digestive Diseases (March 6-9, 2010). Here, we report on the issues discussed, including liver and intestinal diseases that may benefit from stem cell therapy, the biology of hepatic and intestinal tissue repair, and stem cell usage in clinical trials.
