Abstract
Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are a subset of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that possess many of the same regenerative properties as other MSCs. However, the ubiquitous presence of ADSCs and their ease of access in human tissue have led to a burgeoning field of research. The plastic surgeon is uniquely positioned to harness this technology because of the relative frequency in which they perform procedures such as liposuction and autologous fat grafting. This review examines the current landscape of ADSC isolation and identification, summarizes the current applications of ADSCs in the field of plastic surgery, discusses the risks associated with their use, current barriers to universal clinical translatability, and surveys the latest research which may help to overcome these obstacles.
Highlights
Recent advances in regenerative medicine, in particular the discovery of multipotent, accessible stem cells such as adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), have provided the opportunity of using autologous stem cell transplants as regenerative therapies
ADSCs are being utilized for a variety of different applications in plastic surgery [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11], and as our understanding of the basic science of stem cells continues to develop, the plastic surgeon should be prepared for the translational and clinical implications of this progress
Adipose-derived stem cells are useful as they can be harvested with minimal donor site morbidity and have a differentiation potential similar to other mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) [12, 13]
Summary
Recent advances in regenerative medicine, in particular the discovery of multipotent, accessible stem cells such as adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), have provided the opportunity of using autologous stem cell transplants as regenerative therapies. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine The purpose of this review is to (i) explore the utilization of ADSCs in plastic surgery, (ii) describe the current limitations of ADSC treatments with regard to developing translatable clinical therapies and (iii) describe certain techniques used in our laboratory that may help overcome these barriers. Understanding the current status of clinical ADSC treatments and defining the challenges ahead may bring us closer to achieving desired outcome while minimizing unwanted side effects with these therapies
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