Advances in Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative Medicine and Surgery

As the population ages, there is an increasing need for organ and tissue replacement to cope with the deterioration and disease of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, kidney, and musculoskeletal organs. Transplantation of live and dead donor organs cannot currently meet this need. Regenerative medicine is an interdisciplinary field that incorporates stem cell biology, immunology, materials science, engineering, medicine, and surgery to develop solutions that can enhance or replace the regenerative capacity of the body's own tissues. With such a wide range of disciplines, it is important for different stakeholders to understand where the overall picture of the process of developing and clinically using regenerative medicine products fits. It also discusses recent surgical applications in regenerative medicine.