Stem cells in regenerative medicine: Unlocking therapeutic potential through stem cell therapy, 3D bioprinting, gene editing, and drug discovery

Abstract

Stem Cells (SCs) have become potentially instrumental in addressing many human diseases such as cancer, diabetes, age-related diseases and tissue defects. The unique ability of SCs to multiply indefinitely and differentiate into various cell types makes them invaluable in regenerative medicine and treatment. Regenerative medicine is an advancing field that focuses on restoring tissue and organ function in individuals with severe injuries and chronic illnesses. Pluripotent cells, capable of adopting roles from any of the three germ layers, exhibit exceptional versatility and are promising for a wide range of medical conditions. They also offer a solution to limitations posed by animal models in understanding specific disorders. Recent breakthroughs have shown that combining SCs with cutting-edge technologies like 3D bioprinting and 3D culture systems can revolutionize tissue engineering and organ regeneration. 3D bioprinting allows precise construction of complex tissue structures, bringing us closer to recreating functional organs for transplantation. Moreover, the integration of SCs with gene editing techniques presents unprecedented opportunities for precise genetic modification, correcting disease-causing mutations and opening avenues for personalized therapies. In addition, SCs play an important role in drug discovery and testing, serving as valuable models for studying disease mechanisms and screening potential therapeutic biomolecules. This paper provides a comprehensive exploration of SCs, transcription factors, diverse therapeutic applications of these cells as well as their role in the fields of tissue engineering, 3D bioprinting, 3D culture systems, gene editing, disease modeling, and drug discovery and testing.