About this Research Topic
Cell-based therapy (CBT) is a promising method for the effective treatment of various diseases; yet, the majority of CBTs are focused on cancer and genetic disorders. Meanwhile, CBTs for non-malignant and non-genetic diseases (e.g., Spherox for cartilage damage and Holoclar for corneal damage) have been rarely approved for clinical use. Adult stem cells are capable of self-renewal. Hence, CBTs are also able to replenish cells that were lost through physiological repair, disease, or injury. Since stem cells can be found in all human body tissues, regenerative medicine is used in almost all medical fields. Furthermore, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are a type of pluripotent stem cell derived from adult somatic cells, have great potential as CBTs as well, especially when they can be utilized as ‘off-the-shelf’ stem cells. However, despite emerging reported successes, CBTs especially for non-malignant and non-genetic diseases, continue to face numerous challenges.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address the following questions:
(a) Can biologics used in CBTs be regarded the same way as synthetic drugs?
(b) Are CBTs non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) or do they need to be used as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs)?
(c) Is it possible to actually certify autologous CBTs as a commercial product?
(d) What are the differences between the legal vs. the clinician's point of view regarding CBT?
(e) What are the differences between CBTs? and are they comparable regarding donor (e.g., autologous, allogeneic, xenogeneic), tissue of origin (e.g., bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, adipose, muscle, amnion, or other tissue), cell separation methods, characterization of cells, and application (e.g., intravenous, intrathecal, intramuscular, or other sites of delivery)?
(f) In addition to the cellular properties of stem cells, what is known about their ‘medicinal signaling activities’/pharmaceutical aspects (e.g., regarding modulatory mediators such as secretomes and exosomes)?
We welcome contributing authors, especially, but not exclusively, from orthopedics, dentistry, and neurodegenerative fields to report their research or discuss their opinion regarding CBTs for patients with various non-malignant and non-genetic diseases. With this Research Topic, we would like to elucidate the current state of research on CBTs and the challenges in their use. The following types of manuscripts are welcome: Original Research, Study Protocols, Case Reports, Reviews, Opinions, and Perspectives.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address the following questions:
(a) Can biologics used in CBTs be regarded the same way as synthetic drugs?
(b) Are CBTs non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) or do they need to be used as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs)?
(c) Is it possible to actually certify autologous CBTs as a commercial product?
(d) What are the differences between the legal vs. the clinician's point of view regarding CBT?
(e) What are the differences between CBTs? and are they comparable regarding donor (e.g., autologous, allogeneic, xenogeneic), tissue of origin (e.g., bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, adipose, muscle, amnion, or other tissue), cell separation methods, characterization of cells, and application (e.g., intravenous, intrathecal, intramuscular, or other sites of delivery)?
(f) In addition to the cellular properties of stem cells, what is known about their ‘medicinal signaling activities’/pharmaceutical aspects (e.g., regarding modulatory mediators such as secretomes and exosomes)?
We welcome contributing authors, especially, but not exclusively, from orthopedics, dentistry, and neurodegenerative fields to report their research or discuss their opinion regarding CBTs for patients with various non-malignant and non-genetic diseases. With this Research Topic, we would like to elucidate the current state of research on CBTs and the challenges in their use. The following types of manuscripts are welcome: Original Research, Study Protocols, Case Reports, Reviews, Opinions, and Perspectives.
Keywords: regenerative medicine, stem cells, non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI), advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), autologous, allogeneic, bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
