Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine in the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Regenerative medicine is a field of medicine focused on the repair or replacement of damaged or diseased cells, tissues, and organs through the use of various medical technologies. These technologies include stem cell therapy, tissue engineering, and gene therapy, among others. Millions across the globe are plagued with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) with ranging debilitating effects that are detrimental to the functionality of one's life. The healing process of MSD can be arduous and sometimes worse than the injury itself. The various methods of treatment including stem-cell based therapy and the origin and composition of these stem cells has been reviewed in this paper, in order to present a way in which the natural healing process of MSD can be amplified and catalyzed.