Summary

As regenerative medicine moves into the 21st century, its promise to better treat diseases by using the body's own tissues and systems to repair dysfunction is increasingly becoming a reality. Rheumatologists, like physicians across all specialties, will need to recognize and understand the way in which stem cells function in diseases and how these cells can be harvested and harnessed to provide ever improved treatment options. This article looks at ways adult stem cells being used in rheumatic diseases, and some of the key regulatory issues related to the use of embryonic stem cells.