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. 2004 Jun;45(1-2):39–46. doi: 10.1007/s10616-004-5124-2

The use of hTERT-immortalized cells in tissue engineering

Moustapha Kassem 1,✉, Basem M Abdallah 1, Zentao Yu 1, Nicholas Ditzel 1, Jorge S Burns 1
PMCID: PMC3449958  PMID: 19003242

Abstract

The use of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)-immortalized cells in tissue engineering protocols is a potentially important application of telomere biology. Several human cell types have been created that overexpress the hTERT gene with enhanced telomerase activity, extended life span and maintained or even improved functional activities. Furthermore, some studies have employed the telomerized cells in tissue engineering protocols with very good results. However, high telomerase activity allows extensive cell proliferation that may be associated with genomic instability and risk for cell transformation. Thus, safety issues should be studied carefully before using the telomerized tissues in the clinic. Alternatively, the development of conditional or intermittent telomerase activation protocols is needed.

Keywords: Adult stem cells, Embryonic stem cells, Hematopoietic stem cells, hTERT, Mesenchymal stem cells, Telomerase, Tissue engineering

Full Text

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Glossary

TERT/hTERT

mouse/human telomerase reverse transcriptase

TR

mouse telomerase RNA

K5

keratin 5

SMC

smooth muscle cells

PD

population doublings

hESC

human embryonic stem cells

hASC

human adult stem cells

hMSC

human mesenchymal stem cells

SV40

simian virus 40

HPV16

human papillomavirus type 16

HSC

hematopoietic stem cells

PGA

polyglycolic acid

HA/TCP

hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate.

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