Non-coding RNA function in stem cells and Regenerative Medicine
Abstract
Regenerative Medicine, the concept of repairing human organs to restore their normal function, has captivated humanity since ancient times. In Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus helped mankind with fire stolen from Mount Olympus, home of the Gods. As punishment, Prometheuswas shackled toMount Caucasus where each day Zeus would send his eagle down to devour his liver. Part of the macabre torture entailed that Prometheus' liver grew back each night to ensure he underwent the same ordeal the following day. Whether the ancient Greek understood that certain organs possess endogenous capacity for self-repair or the legend merely serves as an allegory to an individual's suffering and rebellion against a government or an accepted practice, likely remains nurture for literature debate, but the imagery of a suffering hero with a regenerating organ appeals to a scientist's imagination. Earthworms, starfish, lobsters, snails, salamanders and zebrafish can replace complete organs or limbs after amputation [1]. Mammalian species possess a far moremodest ability to regenerate tissues, but still rebuild themselves at the cellular level, fix damage and heal wounds of organs that contain pools of stem cells. The possibility to generate suitable cell types for therapeutic use has been facilitated by the revolutionary idea to use stem cells as regenerative starting point. Even in organs virtually devoid of meaningful numbers of stem cells or progenitors, e.g. the adult heart, brain or…
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