Mesenchymal stem cells in veterinary medicine
Abstract
Adult mammalian tissue is now recognized as containing a regenerative population of cells known as adult stem cells. The use of these adult stem cells in veterinary medicine shows great promise and is likely to show rapid uptake in veterinary practice. This article details current commercial stem cell applications in veterinary medicine with a focus on the treatment of osteoarthritis in canines using adipose-derived stem cells and the veterinary nurse's role in this procedure.
The use of stem cells as therapeutics has become one of the largest areas of scientific research around the globe. This is partly due to a shift in focus from long-term embryonic stem cell research to the short and medium-term therapeutic potential of adult stem cells. The therapeutic use of adult stem cells has been further driven by the isolation of adult stem cells from a number of different tissue types in the body including adipose tissue. In contrast to embryonic stem cells, the harvest of adult stem cells opens the way for low risk, autologous treatments for a variety of acute and chronic conditions. The therapeutic effects of adult stem cells is strongly linked to the wide range of secreted protein signalling molecules, cytokines (Caplan and Dennis, 2006). Cytokine secretions from adult stem cells have potent anti-inflammatory effects and regenerative capabilities with proven therapeutic effects in many chronic incurable diseases including osteoarthritis (OA) (Wakitani et al, 2002; Centeno et al, 2008;Riordan et al, 2009). OA and its symptoms are commonly problematic among canine patients presented to primary practice and referral veterinary
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