Stem cells: From embryology to cellular therapy? An appraisal of the present state of art

A series of publications has dealt in the last years with topics as the isolation, properties and applications of animal stem cells (Weissman 2000. Cell 100: 157-168; Weissman 2002. N. Engl. J. Med. 346: 1567-1579; Lovell-Badge 2001. Nature 414: 88-91; Marshak et al. 2001. Stem Cell Biology. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New york; Eridani 2002. J. Roy. Soc. Med. 95: 5-8; Borge and Evers 2003. Cytotechnology 41: 59-68; Sgaramella 2003. Cytotechnology 41: 69-73), however, the bonanza of experimental data recently accumulating have raised such an amount of controversial views and discussions that time perhaps has come for a reassessment of the basic facts in this peculiar area of research and an evaluation of possible, not unrealistic, implications.