Cellular therapy for treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

A critical mechanism to maintain urinary continence in women and men is the striated muscle sphincter (rhabdosphincter) that forms a ring around the mid urethra. Cellular therapy and the use of stem cells transplanted into the site of the rhabdosphincter in a setting of stress urinary incontinence may augment sphincter regeneration. Implanted cells may also release trophic factors promoting muscle and nerve integration into this muscle. We hereby review the use of cellular therapy for SUI and our experience with the development of muscle-derived stem cells.