Stem Cell Therapy 101: Foundations, Functions, and Future

This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the foundational principles of stem cell therapy. We will categorize the various types and sources of stem cells and outline current methodologies for their isolation, expansion, culture, and cryopreservation under GMP-compliant conditions. We will address the mechanisms by which stem cells evade host immune recognition. The lecture will also discuss the molecular and chemotactic cues that govern stem cell homing to sites of tissue injury or inflammation. The direct (e.g., cell replacement, differentiation) and indirect (e.g., paracrine-mediated modulation, immunoregulation) therapeutic effects of stem cells will be discussed.