In the 1950s, Nobel Prize winner Dr. E. Donnall Thomas was the first to successfully transplant hematopoietic stem cells. Since then, studies on stem cells have evolved and expanded worldwide. There are more than 650,000 scientific publications on stem cells and more than 8000 stem cell clinical trials. This book summarizes types of stem cells, key studies, ongoing trials, and future perspectives. It also includes ethical, formal, and legal aspects to give the reader a comprehensive view of the field.

Although the concept of using advanced therapy products such as stem cells seems to be a key strategy in the treatment of various diseases, much information in this area remains unknown. Stem cell products are highly complex, much more complex than chemical-based drugs. More and more often there are data indicating the risk of using stem cells. These risks are determined by various factors that are related to quality, biological activity, and the use itself, and thus administration. Therefore, it is very important to constantly systematize knowledge in this area. This book was created to present both the perspective of basic research, including the manipulation and changes in the properties of cells, and the changes and novelties in therapies themselves.

With the discovery of stem cells capable of multiplying indefinitely in culture and differentiating into many other cell types in appropriate conditions, new hopes were born in repair and replacement of damaged cells and tissues. The features of stem cells may provide treatment for some incurable diseases with some therapies are already in clinics, particularly those from adult stem cells. Some treatments will require large number of cells and may also require multiple doses, generating a growing demand for generating and processing large numbers of cells to meet the need of clinical applications. With this in mind, our aim is to provide a book on the subject of stem cells and cell therapy for researchers and students of cell biotechnology, bioengineering and bioproduction. This book is exceptional as it teaches researchers stem cells and cell therapy in that it covers the concepts and backgrounds necessary so that readers get a good understanding of the production of stem cells. The book covers three topics: The basics of stem cells and cell therapy, the use of stem cells for the treatment of human diseases, and stem cell processing. It includes chapters on neural and vascular stem vascular stem cell therapy, expansion engineering of embryonic stem cells, stem cell based production of blood cells and separation technologies for stem cells and cell therapy products. It is an informed and informative presentation of what modern research, science and engineering have learned about stem cells and their production and therapies. Addressing both the medical and production issues, this book is an invaluable contribution to having an academic and industrial understanding with respect to R&D and manufacturing of clinical grade stem cells.

Ligand and voltage-gated ion channels are highly regulated protein molecules that cross the cell membrane allowing ion flow from one side of the membrane to the other. They are ubiquitously expressed in human tissues and consist of one of the largest and best understood functional groups of proteins, with more than 400 members spanning nearly 1% of the human genome. They are involved in a variety of fundamental physiological processes, and their malfunction causes numerous diseases. In terms of the challenges faced in the effort to discover specific drugs in ancient and emerging diseases, ion channels are the third-largest class of target proteins after G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and kinases. 15% of small molecule drug targets have been reported to be voltage- or ligand-gated ion channels, resulting in approximately 150 new drug candidates in preclinical and clinical studies. Of the ion channel targeting drugs found on the market, these were identified more than a decade ago, and many of the current studies are at various stages of scientific approval. Overcoming these challenges has led the field of ion channel drug discovery to transform over the past 15 years through major advancements in genetic target detection, validation, structure-based drug design, and drug modeling of cell-based diseases.

Stem Cell Manufacturing discusses the required technologies that enable the transfer of the current laboratory-based practice of stem cell tissue culture to the clinic environment as therapeutics, while concurrently achieving control, reproducibility, automation, validation, and safety of the process and the product. The advent of stem cell research unveiled the therapeutic potential of stem cells and their derivatives and increased the awareness of the public and scientific community for the topic. The successful manufacturing of stem cells and their derivatives is expected to have a positive impact in the society since it will contribute to widen the offer of therapeutic solutions to the patients. Fully defined cellular products can be used to restore the structure and function of damaged tissues and organs and to develop stem cell-based cellular therapies for the treatment of cancer and hematological disorders, autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases and genetic disorders. - Presents the first 'Flowchart' of stem cell manufacturing enabling easy understanding of the various processes in a sequential and coherent manner - Covers all bioprocess technologies required for the transfer of the bench findings to the clinic including the process components: cell signals, bioreactors, modeling, automation, safety, etc. - Presents comprehensive coverage of a true multidisciplinary topic by bringing together specialists in their particular area - Provides the basics of the processes and identifies the issues to be resolved for large scale cell culture by the bioengineer - Addresses the critical need in bioprocessing for the successful delivery of stem cell technology to the market place by involving professional engineers in sections of the book

This issue of Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America, guest edited by Drs. Bipin Savani and Mohamad Mohty, is devoted to Bone Marrow Transplantation. Articles in this issue include: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML); Acute Lymphoid Leukemia (ALL); Myelodysplastic Syndrome (AML); Myeloproliferative disorders (MPD); Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia; Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML); Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis; Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL); Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL); Severe Aplastic Anemia (SAA) and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH); Sickle Cell Anemia; Thalassemia; Benign immunodeficiency diseases; and Referral to transplant centers.

The study of stem cell biology is under intensive investigations. Because stem cells have the unique capability to self-renew and differentiate into one or several cell types, they play a critical role in development, tissue homeostasis and regeneration. Stem cells also constitute promising cell candidates for cell therapy.The aim of this book is to provide an accurate knowledge on stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. This book will cover many topics in the field and is based on seminars given by recognized scientists involved the international master program on stem cell biology at the University Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC) in Paris.

Most human tissues do not regenerate spontaneously, but the development of biotherapies using stem cells may offer promising alternatives. Among the possible medium-term therapeutic applications for this technique are: cardiac insufficiency, preparation of small diameter arteries, treatment of atherosclerosis, bone repair, cartilage defects, burns, diabetes, liver or bladder regeneration, and neurodegenerative disorders. This concept of regenerative medicine is an emerging multidisciplinary field involving surgery medicine, biology, chemistry, mechanics and engineering, and can be seen as a way of improving health and quality of life by restoring, maintaining, or enhancing tissue and organ function. This book presents the proceedings of the 9th China-France Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, held in Strasbourg, France, from 2-4 October 2019.The aim of the symposium was to provide researchers, clinicians and students with a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of stem cells and potential medical applications in cellular and tissue engineering for the treatment of various chronic diseases. It also brought together scientists from various disciplines and experiences to discuss recent advances in the use and applications of stem cells. The contributions presented here divide into three main themes: cells; tissue engineering; and clinical applications. Important complementary aspects such as ethics and cell marketing are also discussed. Illustrating the challenges and recent progress achieved in the characterization of stem cells, the book will be of interest to all those working in the field.