Therapeutic Potential of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) from Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study
Mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue (ADSCs) are an important source of cells for regenerative medicine. The therapeutic effect of culture-expanded adipose derived stem cells has been shown; however, optimal xeno-free culture conditions remain to be determined. Cancer patients, specifically those undergoing invasive surgery, constitute a subgroup of patients who could benefit from autologous stem cell transplantation. Although regenerative potential of their ADSCs could be affected by the disease and/or treatment, we are not aware of any study that has evaluated the therapeutic potential of ADSCs isolated from cancer patients in reference to that of ADSCs derived from healthy subjects…
Verso una proposta eticamente accettabile nella prevenzione delle malattie del DNA mitocondriale / Towards an ethically acceptable proposal in the prevention of mitochondrial DNA-associated diseases
Le malattie dovute alle alterazioni del DNA mitocondriale (mtDNA) sono attualmente incurabili. C’è tuttavia un certo numero di metodi a vari livelli di sviluppo che potrebbe evitare la trasmissione madre-figlio di questi disturbi ereditari. Tra questi metodi ci sono due tecniche che sono attualmente attirando l’attenzione di ricercatori, decisori e pazienti: il trasferimento pronucleare (PNT) e il trasferimento del fuso materno (MST). Questi metodi comportano l’uso di mitocondri sani da un donatore. PNT ha luogo in uno zigote, mentre nell’MST, le cellule uovo sono manipolate. Questi metodi sono molto promettenti, in quanto sembrano essere efficaci e sicuri, e infatti, potranno presto essere…
A Personalist Ontological Approach to Synthetic Biology
Although synthetic biology is a promising discipline, it also raises serious ethical questions that must be addressed in order to prevent unwanted consequences and to ensure that its progress leads toward the good of all. Questions arise about the role of this discipline in a possible redefinition of the concept of life and its creation. With regard to the products of synthetic biology, the moral status that they should be given as well as the ethically correct way to behave towards them are not clear. Moreover, risks that could result from a misuse of this technology or from an accidental release of synthetic organisms into the environment cannot be ignored; concerns about biosecurity and …