Stem cell therapy for inherited metabolic disorders of the liver

Modern medicine has conquered an enormous spectrum of health concerns, from the neonatal to the geriatric, the chronically ill to the acutely injured. Among the unmet challenges remaining in modern medicine are inborn disorders of metabolism within the liver. Such inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) often leave an otherwise healthy individual with a crippling imbalance. As the principal regulator of the body's many metabolic pathways, malencoded hepatic enzymes can drastically disrupt homeostasis throughout the entire body. Severe phenotypes are usually detected within the first few days of life, and treatments range from palliative lifestyle modifications to aggressive surgical procedures. While orthotopic liver transplantation is the single last resort "cure" for these conditions, research during the past few years has brought new therapeutic technologies ever closer to the clinic. Stem cells, therapeutic viral vectors, or a combination thereof, are projected to be the next, best, and final cure for IMDs, which is well-reflected by this generation's research initiatives. (C) 2008 ISEH - Society for Hematology and Stem Cells. Published by Elsevier Inc.