Gene Therapy Used for Adipose Stem Cell Engineering

The fundamental principal of gene therapy is the transfer of genetic material into individuals for therapeutic purposes by altering cellular function or structure at the molecular level. The genetic alteration ultimately leads to the production of a therapeutic protein that is secreted into the surrounding tissue milieu, is expressed on the cell surface or acts as a signaling molecule to influence cell or tissue behavior. Genetic engineering and the use of adult stem cells may hold the key to future development of tissue-engineered constructs. The identification or perhaps deletion of specific genetic sequences might be able to identify and modify genes critical to tissue development. The overall safety of the various gene delivery systems is also an important consideration. Clearly, many hurdles remain to be addressed before these approaches can be widely applied as a common therapeutic strategy.