**5. Conclusion**

Since 2001, the number of studies characterizing and utilizing the ASC is truly staggering. It appears that the ASC is even passing the bone marrow MSC as the preferred adult stem cell for regenerative medicine. With its ease of isolation from adipose tissue, its availability within the tissue, its long term viability in culture and its persistence when implanted in vivo, the ASC is not only a great stem cell choice for studying mechanisms in vitro but for how it can regenerate tissues in vivo. In response, the studies using ASCs are incredibly diverse and range from their direct differentiation in regenerating tissues such as bone, muscle, nerve and liver to their indirect use in mediating inflammation, protecting nervous tissue and directing vascularization and wound healing through their production of paracrine factors. Finally, a truly exciting use for the ASC may be based on this paracrine activity, in that ASC appears to be easily engineered for the delivery of key factors capable of regenerating many tissue types and maintaining their health. Only time will tell how far the ASC will go.
