Endogenous Stem Cells in Homeostasis and Aging

In almost all human tissues and organs, adult stem cells or tissue stem cells are present in a unique location, the so-called stem cell niche or its equivalent, continuously replenishing functional differentiated cells. Those endogenous stem cells can be expanded for cell therapeutics using ex vivo cell culture or recalled for tissue repair in situ through cell trafficking and homing. In the aging process, inefficiency in the endogenous stem...