Stem cells in reproductive medicine: ready for the patient?

STUDY QUESTION: Are there effective and clinically validated stem cell-based therapies for reproductive diseases?

At the moment, clinically validated stem cell treatments for reproductive diseases and alterations are not available.

WHAT IS KNOWN: Research in stem cells and regenerative medicine is growing in scope, and its translation to the clinic is heralded by the recent initiation of controlled clinical trials with pluripotent derived cells. Unfortunately, stem cell 'treatments' are currently offered to patients outside of the controlled framework of scientifically sound research and regulated clinical trials. Both physicians and patients in reproductive medicine are often unsure about stem cells therapeutic options.

An international working group was assembled to review critically the available scientific literature in both the human species and animal models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This review includes work published in English until December 2014, and available through Pubmed.

RESULTS: A few areas of research in stem cell and reproductive medicine were identified: in vitro gamete production, endometrial regeneration, erectile dysfunction amelioration, vaginal reconstruction. The stem cells studied range from pluripotent (embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells) to monopotent stem cells, such as spermatogonial stem cells or mesenchymal stem cells. The vast majority of studies have been carried out in animal models, with data that are preliminary at best.

LIMITATIONS:  This review was not conducted in a systematic fashion, and reports in publications not indexed in Pubmed were not analyzed.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS: A much broader clinical knowledge will have to be acquired before translation to the clinic of stem cell therapies in reproductive medicine; patients and physicians should be wary of unfounded claims of improvement of existing medical conditions; at the moment, effective stem cell treatment for reproductive diseases and alterations is not available.

Hum Reprod. 2015 Jul 22. pii: dev181. [Epub ahead of print]

Vassena R1, Eguizabal C2, Heindryckx B3, Sermon K4, Simon C5, van Pelt AM6, Veiga A7, Zambelli F8; ESHRE special interest group Stem Cells.


1 Clinica EUGIN, Barcelona, Spain
2 Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Laboratory, Basque Center for Transfusion and Human Tissues, Galdakao, Spain.
3 Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
4 Research Group Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universtiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
5 FundaciĆ³n Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (FIVI), and Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Valencia University & INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
6 Center for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
7 Reproductive Medicine Service, Hospital Universitari Quiron Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain Stem Cell Bank, Centre for Regenerative Medicine of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
8 Research Group Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universtiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium S.I.S.Me.R. Reproductive Medicine Unit, Bologna, Italy.