Erectile Dysfunction Treatment Using Stem Cells: A Review.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a disorder that affects the quality of life and the sexual relations of more than half of the male population aged over 40 years. The prediction regarding the incidence of ED is devastating as it is expected that this disorder will affect more than 300 million men in the next five years. Several studies have suggested the use of stem cells for the treatment of ED and showed that this type of treatment is promising in terms of damaged tissue repair as well as of clinical efficacy; however, there are several gaps in the knowledge and evidence is lacking. In order to highlight a few of them in this review, we performed a research of the literature focusing on currently available clinical studies regarding the clinical efficacy of stem cell administration for the treatment of ED. We reviewed the methods of administration, the cell types used in the performed clinical trials and the safety and efficiency of such procedures. We conclude that there are rapidly expanding and promising results from the reported clinical studies indicating that stem cells could indeed be a potential treatment for patients with ED although more studies are necessary.

Osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived stem cells in gelatin-hydroxyapatite nanocomposite

PURPOSE: Gelatin-hydroxyapatite nanocomposite is similar to inorganic nanostructure of bone. To make a scaffold with osteoinductivity, bone marrow derived stem cells from rabbit femur were impinged into the nanocomposite. This vitro study was to test osteogenic differentiation of the stem cells in the nanocomposite, which was made by authors. MATERIAL & METHODS: Gel-HA nanocomposite with 10g of HA, 3 g of Gel has been made by co-precipitation process. Bone marrow was obtained from femur of New Zealand White rabbits and osteogenic differentiation was induced by culturing of the BMSCs in an osteogenic medium. The BMSCs were seeded into the Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffold using a stirring seeding method. The scaffolds with the cells were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), colorimetry assay, biochemical assay with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) diagnostic kit, osteocalcin ELISA kit. RESULTS: Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffolds were fabricated with relatively homogenous microscale pores (20-40 micrometer). The BMSCs were obtained from bone marrow of rabbit femurs and confirmed with flow cytometry, Alizarin red staining. Attachment and proliferation of BMSCs in Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffold could be identified by SEM, ALP activity and osteocalcin content of BMSCs. CONCLUSION: The Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffold with micropores could be fabricated and could support BMSCs seeding, osteogenic differentiation.

Osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived stem cells in gelatin-hydroxyapatite nanocomposite

PURPOSE: Gelatin-hydroxyapatite nanocomposite is similar to inorganic nanostructure of bone. To make a scaffold with osteoinductivity, bone marrow derived stem cells from rabbit femur were impinged into the nanocomposite. This vitro study was to test osteogenic differentiation of the stem cells in the nanocomposite, which was made by authors. MATERIAL & METHODS: Gel-HA nanocomposite with 10g of HA, 3 g of Gel has been made by co-precipitation process. Bone marrow was obtained from femur of New Zealand White rabbits and osteogenic differentiation was induced by culturing of the BMSCs in an osteogenic medium. The BMSCs were seeded into the Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffold using a stirring seeding method. The scaffolds with the cells were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), colorimetry assay, biochemical assay with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) diagnostic kit, osteocalcin ELISA kit. RESULTS: Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffolds were fabricated with relatively homogenous microscale pores (20-40 micrometer). The BMSCs were obtained from bone marrow of rabbit femurs and confirmed with flow cytometry, Alizarin red staining. Attachment and proliferation of BMSCs in Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffold could be identified by SEM, ALP activity and osteocalcin content of BMSCs. CONCLUSION: The Gel-HA nanocomposite scaffold with micropores could be fabricated and could support BMSCs seeding, osteogenic differentiation.

The effect of rhBMP-2 in human bone marrow-derived stem cells as osteogenic inducers