Exploiting the properties of adult stem cells for the treatment of disease.

Much of the current hope in regenerative medicine is intimately entwined with promises that stern cells will provide the backbone for cell-replacement therapies to treat various degenerative, genetic and malignant conditions. The realization that a wide range of adult tissues contain stem cells has heightened this optimism, and ultimately the expectation that these somatic cells can be harnessed to provide cell-based therapies that will soon be realized in the clinic. This review discusses the recent advances in adult stem-cell technology that have captured significant attention and discusses progress in the development of two distinct methodologies currently being exploited in regenerative medicine strategies.