ADIPOSE-DERIVED STEM CELLS - ORIGIN, TISSUE AND CELLULAR SPECIFICITY, AND APPLICATION IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

The application of stem cells in medicine is still a relatively new topic associated with scientists' great interest. It is a source of hope for the patients suffering from various medical conditions, which are resistant to widely used healing paths. In recent years, the attention was drawn to multipotent adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). They are distinguished by their proliferative and secretive abilities, as well as accessibility. In addition, they are characterised by relative ease of harvesting and culture. Thcir unique qualities make them seem like a great opportunity in the field of regenerative medicine, which is a dynamically developing field associated with many types of research. ADSCs have the potential to be used in the treatment of chronic, non-healing wounds, as well as in diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Their use is also taken under consideration in treatment bone and cartilage defects, as well as in aesthetic medicine, including hair regeneration therapy on patients afflicted by alopecia in androgenetic alopecia or female pattern hair loss. Due to their regenerative properties, they are also perceived as a promising possibility' in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The knowledge acquired during such research might be a base of the creation of novel alternative therapies in many other fields of medicine.