Opportunities for Stem Cells Therapy in Veterinary Medicine

Abstract

Animal contain stem cells in different parts of body that are involved in regeneration and repair process but regeneration and repair capacity of different animals is different. Stem cells can be classified on the basis of origin, potential of differentiation and cell surface markers. In addition to embryonic stem cells (ESCs), bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), circulating blood stem cells and umbilical cord blood stem cells are major source of stem cells for therapeutic purposes. Adipose derived MSCs have also proved to be rich and therapeutically important source of stem cells. Animal during lifetime suffer from various diseases that are treated by different therapeutical ways. With the advancement in research in area of stem cell biology, it provides a better alternative to treat several diseases including life threatening diseases. We provided information about current therapeutically potentials and future prospective of stem cells therapy in veterinary medicine. We collected information about stem cell research in various animals from peer reviewed journals using standard database. Stem cells therapy treat orthopedic lesions, disc regeneration, osteoarthritis, repair of cranial bone defects, cartilage defects, corneal stroma, tendon repair, ligament injury, liver injury, nerve regeneration etc. in various animals. Nowadays, extensive research work is going in area of stem cells research in USA, Europe, Middle East and Asia. In future, stem cells therapy bears a scope to treat broad spectrum of animals ranging from rat, cats, and dogs to food and milk producing animals like goat, sheep, cow and buffaloes.