"Therapeutical approaches of regenerative medicine in neurodegenerative diseases using stem cells"

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are more and more common due to the increase in life expectancy but also in size population. Typical examples of such diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).

Alzheimer's disease is known to be characterized by the deposition of enormous fibrils of beta-amyloid peptide (Αβ- amyloid plaques) and the accumulation of the hyperphosphorylated Tau protein (neurofibrillary tangles-NFT) inside the neurons. Also, the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is characterized by the loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons due to abnormal deposition of the α-synuclein protein (Lewy bodies). However, the treatment of these conditions remains a serious issue as the conventional medication administered can ameliorate the symptoms but is not capable of curing the disease.

In this review, after examining the pathophysiology of two neurodegenerative diseases, we will discuss the possible innovative therapeutic approaches applied in the field of regenerative medicine with the use of stem cells and the future prospects arising from this rapidly emerging field.

PATSIAS Anargyros