Stem cells derived from adipose tissue: Possible uses and clinical applications

In the past adipose tissue was considered only as the energy storage of our body, today we can talk about adipose organ, an active and dynamic tissue from which multipotent stem cells can be obtained. The aim of our study was to focus on the properties and possible uses of stem cells derived from adipose tissue (ASCs) in regenerative medicine based on the major scientific studies reported in international literature. Referring to current scientific literature, we have described the main properties of ASCs by focus on the sources from which they can obtained, isolation procedures, clinical applications and the current legislation on their use. ASCs are multipotent stem cells with paracrine, immunomodulatory, chemotactic and differentiating activity that promote their use in various fields of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Currently there is no universally recognized protocol regarding the isolation procedure. Under current European legislation, ASCs can only be used if autologous, non-cultivated, mechanically isolated and transferred at the level of a homologous tissue. To date, clinical protocols that do not comply with these guidelines are considered off-lable. Today, there is a growing need for a protocol shared by the international scientific community on the stem cells isolation procedure from adipose tissue and on their clinical applications in compliance with current legislation.