State of the art in human adipose stem cells and their role in therapy.

Nowadays, adipose tissue appears to be the most valuable source in regenerative cell therapy, due to the following characteristics: high accessibility, high expression in a large number of individuals, high self-renewal and ability to differentiate, and hematopoietic support to the implant area. Its therapeutic potential has been experimentally observed in a broad spectrum of diseases with high population impact: diabetes, myocardial infarction, Parkinson disease, bone fractures, facial reconstruction or loss of subcutaneous tissue due to congenital abnormalities (e.g., hemifacial microsomy), trauma, burns, and tumors. Over 130 clinical trials using adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), majority phase I or phase II, have been registered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and in the short term no adverse reactions or significant risks were identified. Parallel with regulatory frameworks that control their safety and assess their efficacy, phase III trials are being developed. Although transplantation with adipose tissue is becoming more and more popular, there are still important drawbacks and technical challenges to be addressed, and clinical strategies to be developed. This review explores in a concise manner the present body of knowledge concerning ASCs and their implication in therapy.