Células madre y medicina regenerativa en urología, 2ª parte: urotelio, vejiga, uretra y próstata / Stem cells and regenerative medicine in urology, part 2: urothelium, urinary bladder, urethra and prostate

Introducción: La investigación en terapia celular y medicina regenerativa, desarrollada en su mayor parte en torno al estudio de las células madre, está obteniendo resultados prometedores en todas las especialidades médicas. En urología están llevándose a cabo grandes avances en este campo, si bien existen ciertas dificultades, pues, por ejemplo, a fecha de hoy aún no ha sido posible la completa identificación y aislamiento de las células madre uroteliales ni prostáticas humanas, aunque muchos grupos se están acercando cada vez más a ello. Material y métodos: Realizamos una búsqueda electrónica mediante la base de datos Pubmed, tanto de artículos originales como de revisiones, utilizando los criterios de búsqueda stem cells urology, urothelial stem cells, bladder stem cells, prostate stem cells, urethra stem cells, cell therapy urology, tissue engeneering urology y regenerative medicine urology. Resultados: Hemos hecho una revisión de 30 trabajos publicados hasta noviembre de 2009, tratando con ello de hacer una recopilación lo más completa posible, para poder conocer un poco mejor los avances realizados en este campo, desde los inicios hasta nuestros días. Conclusión: Aunque existen aún importantes numerosas incógnitas, la mayor de ellas conseguir la identificación, aislamiento y cultivo de las células madre renales, uroteliales y prostáticas humanas, esto no debe impedir a los investigadores el poder trasladar los resultados obtenidos en el laboratorio a la clínica (AU)

Introduction: Investigation in cell therapy and regenerative medicine, mainly developed around stem cell research, is reaching promising results in every medical specialities. There are also being great advances in Urology, despite the difficulties researchers are facing, as complete identification and isolation of human urothelial and prostatic stem cells has not been possible yet, although many groups are close to achieve it. Material and methods: We performed an electronic research through the Pubmed database, of both original and review publications, with the following search criteria: "stem cells urology", "urothelial stem cells", "bladder stem cells", "prostate stem cells", "urethra stem cells", "cell therapy urology", "tissue engeneering urology" y "regenerative medicine urology". Results: We reviewed 30 articles published up to November 2009, trying to summarize thoroughly the most relevant findings and the last advances in this fild, from the first steps to this day. Conclusion: Despite the great lack of knowledge existing, especially the need for achieving the identification of kidney, urothelium and prostate stem cells, this shouldn’t prevent researchers from translating the laboratory results to the clinical work (AU)

[Stem cells and regenerative medicine in urology, part 2: urothelium, urinary bladder, urethra and prostate]. / Células madre y medicina regenerativa en urología, 2.a parte: urotelio, vejiga, uretra y próstata.

INTRODUCTION: Investigation in cell therapy and regenerative medicine, mainly developed around stem cell research, is reaching promising results in every medical specialities. There are also being great advances in Urology, despite the difficulties researchers are facing, as complete identification and isolation of human urothelial and prostatic stem cells has not been possible yet, although many groups are close to achieve it. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed an electronic research through the Pubmed database, of both original and review publications, with the following search criteria: "stem cells urology", "urothelial stem cells", "bladder stem cells", "prostate stem cells", "urethra stem cells", "cell therapy urology", "tissue engineering urology" y "regenerative medicine urology". RESULTS: We reviewed 30 articles published up to November 2009, trying to summarize thoroughly the most relevant findings and the last advances in this field, from the first steps to this day. CONCLUSION: Despite the great lack of knowledge existing, especially the need for achieving the identification of kidney, urothelium and prostate stem cells, this shouldn't prevent researchers from translating the laboratory results to the clinical work.