Techniques and Processing Methods to Isolate Stem Cells and Stromal Vascular Fraction Cells

Abstract

The field of regenerative medicine is becoming a key component in the practice of medicine, especially the use of cells within the same surgical procedure. Particularly, the use of freshly isolated autologous cells at the point of care is of special interest due to their simplicity and fast clinical application. Many different strategies, methods, and techniques exist for isolating cells from several tissue sources for clinical use in humans. The cellular characteristics and number can vary enormously according to the sample used, procedure, or specific method. This chapter covers different cell isolation techniques that can be developed in a short time intraoperatively, focusing on bone marrow and adipose tissue sources. A summary of the increasing available clinical information is also included.