Stem cells gene-engineered

Dieckmann, C., Renner, R., Milkova, L., Simon, J.C., 2010. Regenerative medicine in dermatology biomaterials, tissue engineering, stem cells, gene transfer and beyond. Exp. Dermatol. 19 (8), 697—706. 

Expanded hematopoietic (stem and progenitor) cells have widespread potential in therapy and this will only be briefly described here. For a comprehensive overview, the review by Schindhelm and Nordon [27] is recommended. Potential applications include graft engineering in stem cell transplantation [24], gene and immunotherapy and the production of mature blood cells for transfusion medicine. 

Fig. 16.1 Both teratocarcinoma cells and normal embryonal stem cells behave alike. Both types of cells are accepted and incorporated into the inner layer of the blastocyst, when they are injected into the blastocyst cavity. They behave like normal embryonic stem cells, and the progeny of these cells are found in practically every cell and tissue of the chimeric mouse, where they differentiate normally. Moreover, they even form normal germ cells. Thus, teratocarcinoma stem cells, when separated from their undifferentiated cancerous daughter cells and transplanted into a compatible host, not only survive, they also do no harm to the host and do not make him cancerous. Incidentally, the capability of embryonic stem cells to be accepted by a recipient blastocyst is the basis of producing gene knock-out, chimeric mice, where a normal gene is replaced by an altered, engineered version of the gene. These chimeric mice then carry the mutation in their stem cells and transmit them to differentiated cells, where they are expressed. (With permission of Taylor and Francis, Inc. See Rg. 21-32 in ref. 1.)...

Nakamura K, Ito Y, Kawano Y, et al. (2004). Antitumor effect of genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells in a rat glioma model. Gene Ther. 11 1155-1164. 

Genetic engineering is used not only for drug development but also for treatment of specific patients. In 1998, James Thompson of the University of Wisconsin isolated human embryonic stem cells, called piuripotent, because they can produce specific types of cells within the living body. This insertion of genes into the patient s body may someday be used to treat diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, Parkinson s, and other diseases. 

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