Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41091433›Full record

ReviewStem cell reviews and reports2026

From Biological Waste to Therapeutic Resources: A Comprehensive Review of Stem Cell Sources, Characterization, and Biomedical Potentials.

Beatrice Camia, Manuela Monti

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Stem cell reviews and reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Beatrice CamiaHistology and Embryology Unit, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, viale Forlanini 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
Manuela MontiHistology and Embryology Unit, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, viale Forlanini 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy. manuela.monti@unipv.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The concept of utilizing biological waste as a resource dates back centuries, with early practices in traditional medicine repurposing discarded tissues for healing purposes. In recent decades, advances in stem cell biology have revitalized this concept by identifying multipotent stem cells within various waste materials, including urine, adipose tissue, follicular fluid, umbilical cord blood, fetal annexes, menstrual blood, and dental pulp byproducts. These sources offer a minimally invasive, ethically sound, and cost-effective alternative to conventional stem cell harvesting methods. Stem cells derived from waste materials exhibit robust proliferative abilities and multilineage differentiation potential, positioning them as valuable tools for regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and personalized therapeutic applications. Clinical studies highlight their promise. For example, mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue and umbilical cord blood have shown safety and some effectiveness in early trials. These studies report improvements of up to 30-40% in recovery scores for osteoarthritis and ischemic heart disease, as well as a 20-35% decrease in inflammatory markers for autoimmune disorders. Cord blood stem cell transplants have shown 70-90% survival rates in children with blood cancers. This underscores the clinical potential of waste-derived stem cells. However, regulatory issues limit broader use. Agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency classify many processing methods, especially enzymatic digestion, as "more-than-minimal manipulation." This triggers strict requirements for Good Manufacturing Practice, clinical validation, and safety checks. These rules protect donors, ensure consistency, and check long-term safety. However, they also slow down clinical adoption. This review describes the history and recent advances in recycling biological waste to obtain stem cells, operating within the theoretical framework that positions waste-derived materials as viable sources for regenerative medicine. It highlights how these developments are transforming biomedical research and clinical care.

Indexed as

Stem CellsStem Cell TransplantationAnimalsHumansRegenerative MedicineTissue EngineeringATMP regulationBiological wasteExtracellular vesiclesGMP manufacturingMesenchymal stem cellMultilineage differentiationRegenerative medicine

Identifiers

PMID41091433
PMCPMC12795948

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.