Tissue Transplantation
Human tissues currently used for transplantation include, but are not limited to, the cornea, sclera, skin, bone, cartilage, ligaments, heart valves, blood vessels, and amniotic membrane. Extensive clinical practice has demonstrated that tissue transplantation holds significant value in improving survival rates after severe burns and trauma, aiding in functional recovery of movement, promoting the healing of chronic wounds, and enhancing vision. For corneal diseases caused by scarring or perforation, more than 80% of patients have been shown to regain vision following corneal transplantation.
Cell Transplantation
Cell transplantation involves the transfer of cells, typically stem cells or cells that can be induced into pluripotent stem cells, to sites of tissue damage or disease. The transplantation procedure can take the form of autologous transplantation, allogeneic transplantation, or xenotransplantation. Transplanted cells can also undergo preconditioning prior to implantation in order to achieve therapeutic effects.
Among cell transplantation techniques, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the most widely practiced and technically advanced. Hematopoietic stem cells derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood are introduced into the patient’s body to reestablish normal hematopoietic and immune functions. Moreover, the exploration of other types of pluripotent stem cell and genetically engineered cell transplantation is actively underway.