Preface

One of the main goals in medicine is to replace damaged tissues and regain organ functionality, which is hard to obtain by routine therapeutic procedures but might be achieved thanks to stem cells [1]. Lately, stem cell therapy has become a hot topic and as a treatment method has evoked great expectations. There are many books about stem cells, but most of them should be considered out of date when we consider how much new data are presented every year. Other books are extremely expensive, which narrows their readership. Equitable access to information and knowledge about legal aspects, isolation, preparation, and application possibilities may influence the treatment of many diseases in many countries. Equal opportunity for high-quality data about stem cells must include a realistic description of therapies to create a full picture for a critical approach to flooding the amount of material in this topic. Treating autism, rebuilding skin, injecting directly into the brain after a stroke to replace damaged cells, and understanding how diseases occur. Can stem cells really do all these things? What is evidence-based medicine and what is fake therapy and expectations? My entire educational path was devoted to understanding the real potential and worth of stem cell therapy. But firstly – what are stem cells? Stem cells are present both in embryonic and adult cells [2] and are important for newly formed organisms for many reasons. They can develop into many different cell types in the body during growth. Embryonic stem cells can differentiate into every cell type in the body and have unlimited potential for self-renewal, which makes them attractive cell sources for regenerative medicine. However, is the use of these cells ethically acceptable? Are they safe? Are there any other sources of stem cells? Do other stem cell types have similar properties and potentials? How to gather these cells? Are there any protocols? Where are stem cells stored? How can they be used? Are there any legal restrictions? There are many questions to be organized, revised, and summarized. This book is divided into three sections. The first section describes tissue bank institutions and the processing of stem cells. It is crucial to process stem cells in a standardized way because isolating and cultivating stem cells may result in obtaining a heterogeneous population, which does not fit the criteria of the International Society for Cellular Therapy [3]. Although stem cells have great potential in the treatment of many diseases, after their processing, there remain many challenges to overcome before their therapeutic application [4]. The second section addresses the legal and ethical challenges of using stem cells. The third and final section examines clinical use and particular therapies of stem cells. Overall, this special volume presents authoritative views on what we know about stem cells.

Writing this book would not have been possible without Mateo Pulko, Author Service Manager at IntechOpen, who had great patience and provided me with a lot of support. I would like to thank everyone involved in stem cell research, as stem cell therapies have the potential to affect the lives of people all over the world.

> **Diana, Kitala** Scientific Laboratories, Tissue Bank, Dr. Stanisław Sakiel Burn Treatment Center, Siemianowice Śląskie, Poland

### **Ana Colette Maurício**

University of Porto, Portugal

### **References**

[1] Zakrzewski, W., Dobrzyński, M., Szymonowicz, M. et al. Stem cells: past, present, and future. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2019, 10(1):68.

[2] Rohban R, Pieber TR. Mesenchymal Stem and Progenitor Cells in Regeneration: Tissue Specificity and Regenerative Potential. Stem Cells Int. 2017:5173732, 2017.

[3] Squillaro T, Peluso G, Galderisi U. Clinical Trials With Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An Update. Cell Transplant. 25(5):829-48, 2016.

[4] Li W, Shi L, Hu B, Hong Y, Zhang H, Li X, Zhang Y. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Stroke: Current Understanding and Challenges. Front Cell Neurosci. 15 :628940, 2021.

Section 1
