Stem cell technologies in gerontological research

Abstract

When getting old, a lot of unpleasant events are developing in our organism. Here, we should mention the decline or gradual loss of function and potential and, ultimately, death of cells of different types. Many data exist about age-dependent deterioration of nervous and muscle cells as well as about many proliferating cell populations, such as epithelial, osteogenic, hemopoietic and others. These changes manifest themselves in a number of old age diseases like the Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsonism, heart and brain infarction, osteoporosis, diabetes, immune deficiency, malignancies and others. So, it takes to elaborate some technologies and methods for improving the situation by stimulation or replacement of the impaired organs and tissues. The dream is to launch a medical revolution, in which failing organs and tissues might be repaired not with crude mechanical devices like insulin pumps or titanium joints, but with the living homegrown replacement. And great promises here make now the use of stem cell technologies. © 2008 Springer.