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Application of chinese herbal medicines to revitalize adult stem cells for tissue regeneration

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Abstract

It has been established in the recent several decades that adult stem cells play a crucial role in tissue renewal and regeneration. Adult stem cells locate in certain organs can differentiate into functional entities such as macrophages and bone cells. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are two of the most important populations of adult stem cells. The application of these stem cells offers a new insight in treating various pathological conditions, through replenishing cells of specific functions by turning on or off the differentiating program within quiescent stem cell niches. Apart from that, they are also capable to travel through the circulation, migrate to injury sites and differentiate to enhance regeneration process. Recently, Chinese medicine (CM) has shown to be potential candidates to activate adult stem cells for tissue regeneration. This review summarizes our own, as well as others’ findings concerning the use of Chinese herbal medicine in the regulation processes of adult stem cells differentiation and their movement in tissue repair and rejuvenation. A number of Chinese herbs are used as therapeutic agents and presumably preventive agents on metabolic disorders. In our opinion, the activation of adult stem cells self-regeneration not only provides a novel way to repair tissue damage, but also reduces the use of targeted drug that adversely altering the normal metabolism of human subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Hing-Lok Wong  (黄庆乐), Wing-sum Siu  (萧永沁), Wai-ting Shum  (岑慧婷), Si Gao  (高 思), Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中) & Chun-Hay Ko  (高俊熙)

  2. State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Hing-Lok Wong  (黄庆乐), Wing-sum Siu  (萧永沁), Wai-ting Shum  (岑慧婷), Si Gao  (高 思), Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中) & Chun-Hay Ko  (高俊熙)

  3. Jockey Club Centre for Osteoporosis Care and Control, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Hing-Lok Wong  (黄庆乐) & Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中)

  4. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Wing-sum Siu  (萧永沁) & Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中)

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  1. Hing-Lok Wong  (黄庆乐)
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  2. Wing-sum Siu  (萧永沁)
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  3. Wai-ting Shum  (岑慧婷)
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  4. Si Gao  (高 思)
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  5. Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中)
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  6. Chun-Hay Ko  (高俊熙)
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Correspondence to Chun-Hay Ko  (高俊熙).

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Wong, HL., Siu, Ws., Shum, Wt. et al. Application of chinese herbal medicines to revitalize adult stem cells for tissue regeneration. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 18, 903–908 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-1293-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-1293-3

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