Regenerative medicine promises to be one of the great future frontiers. Critical to the success of this area is stem cell research, and cell- and gene-based therapy. In this book, a variety of outstanding authors discuss important aspects of these research areas. Important topics include new types of cell therapies and stem cell-based therapy for angiogenesis and cardiac repair. They also include cell-therapy approaches in neu- logic areas such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. A third area that is explored involves the development of cell-based systems for cartilage and bone repair, bladder repair, and kidney regeneration. A fourth area involves important work in the eye, specifically, optic nerve regeneration, retinal repair, and ocular surface regene- tion. The potential of using insulin-producing cells or islets is also examined in this book, as are strategies for cord blood transplantation for various hematologic disorders. Finally, important areas of research involving skin regeneration and wound healing are discussed. This book should provide an excellent overview of the important areas in regenerative medicine with respect to cell and gene therapy and hopefully will be a u- ful guide for scientists doing research in these areas.
