Power of pee: Urine-derived stem cells in urological disorders

Abstract

Given that urine-derived stem cells (USCs) originate from the urinary tract system, they hold great potential for treating urological disorders. USCs have several advantages over other types of stem cells, such as easy and noninvasive collection, and abundant supply. USCs can differentiate into different types of cells. This makes them a potential source of cells for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in the field of urology. In animal models, USCs or USC-derived exosomes regenerate damaged tissues in the treatment of various urological disorders such as urinary incontinence, bladder dysfunction, interstitial cystitis, urethra injury erectile dysfunction, and kidney injury via multiple differentiation potential, angiogenesis, anti-inflammatory, paracrine effects, and immune modulation capability. Overall, the use of USCs in urological disorders is a rapidly developing field, and ongoing research is needed to fully understand their potential applications. However, the early results are promising and suggest that USCs could become a valuable cell source for the treatment of various urological disorders in the future.