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Kim et al. Plast Aesthet Res 2018;5:31 Plastic and
DOI: 10.20517/2347-9264.2018.26 Aesthetic Research

Review Open Access

Adipose-derived stem cells in cutaneous wound
repair

Bong-Sung Kim, Berthold Debye, Justus P. Beier

Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery - Burn Center, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen 52074, Germany.

Correspondence to: Prof. Justus P. Beier, Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery - Burn Center, University Hospital RWTH
Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen 52074, Germany. E-mail: jbeier@ukaachen.de

How to cite this article: Kim BS, Debye B, Beier JP. Adipose-derived stem cells in cutaneous wound repair. Plast Aesthet Res 2018;5:31.
http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2018.26

Received: 14 Apr 2018 First Decision: 2 Aug 2018 Revised: 13 Aug 2018 Accepted: 14 Aug 2018 Published: 28 Aug 2018
Science Editor: Raymund Engelbert Horch Copy Editor: Cai-Hong Wang Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract

Growing interest in regenerative medicine and advances in adipose tissue research have led to the identification of
mesenchymal stem cells in adipose tissue, so called adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs). Due to the simple and safe
harvest technique as well as high regenerative capacity, ASCs are regarded as a potential source for various indications
including cutaneous wound repair. This review provides a short overview over mechanisms of ASC action in cutaneous
wound repair and data regarding its clinical application. Mostly experimental data provide accruing evidence for the
supportive effect of ASCs in cutaneous wound healing by secretion of soluble factors, differentiation into keratinocyte
and fibroblasts, neovascularization and interaction with myofibroblasts. A number of in vivo experiments also support
a positive effect of ASCs in different wound healing models. Furthermore, first clinical data evaluated the feasibility
of ASCs in the treatment of different wound healing pathologies, e.g., chronic ulcers and burn wounds. Although the
majority of currently available data indicate a beneficial role of ASCs in cutaneous wound repair, additional detailed
experimental studies and larger, high-quality clinical trials are required to provide a reliable statement on the true value
of ASCs in this context.

Keywords: Cutaneous wound healing, adipose-derived stem cells, fat grafting, regenerative medicine, cell-based therapy

FAT GRAFTING AND ADIPOSE-DERIVED STEM CELLS
Ever since the German surgeon Gustav Neuber documented the first autologous fat transfer at the 23rd Con-
gress of the German Surgical Society in 1893 by treating an infrorbital scar by a piece of autologous fat har-
[1]
vested from the upper arm, the interest in adipose tissue as a reservoir for graft material rose . Czerny used

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.

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