XENOGENEIC CELL THERAPY: CURRENT STATE, PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES OF PORCINE CELLS TRANSPLANTATION
The multitude of distinct cell types present in mature and developing tissues display unique physiologic characteristics. Cellular therapy is a novel technology which allows utilizimg cell diversity to treat a wide range of human pathologies. Severe diseases and injuries are characterized by cell death or cellular disfunctions. Cell transplantation can replace the diseased or lost tissue to provide restorative therapy for these structures. The limited use of cell transplants as a basis for current therapy can, in part, be attributed to the lack of available human cells suitable for transplantation. This fact has prevented further development of cell transplantation. Therefore, cell-based therapies such as blood transfusions, for which the cells are readily available, are a standard part of current medical practice. Despite numerous attempts to expand native human cells in tissue culture, current technological limitations of this approach in regard to proliferative capacity and maintenance of the differentiated phenotype have prevented their use for transplantation. The use of human stem cells for further derivation seems to be a prospective approach, however the main problem is associated with lack of adequate amount of multipotential cells. Thus, native cells prove to be a priority source for transplantation. This review describes the possibilities and prospectives for clinical use ofporcine cells as a potential source of various type native cells for the treatment of human diseases. Besides the advantages and disadvantages of xenogeneic cell therapy.