Accumulating evidence demonstrates that adult tissues contain a population of very pluripotent stem cells and recently our group identified a population of very small stem cells in murine bone marrow and other adult organs that express several markers characteristic for epiblast/germ line-derived cells. We named these rare cells "very small embryonic/epiblast like stem cells (VSELs)'. We hypothesized that these cells, which are deposited during early gastrulation in developing tissues/organs, play an important role in the turnover of tissue-specific/committed stem cells.

The ImageStream technology was developed as a novel tool for multiparameter cell ana- lysis. The system fully integrates the features of flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy com- bined with a modern system of image analysis. Similarly to flow cytometry, the ImageStream allows analyzing of a large number of cells according to their fluorescent features and provides statistical analysis of these objects.

The results of our previous studies in which we used the so-called strategy . chemotactic isolation to stromal - derived factor 1 ( called Stromal Cell Derived Factor 1 , SDF- 1 ) in combination with the technique of real-time PCR (Real Time PCR , RT- PCR) showed that there is a bone marrow cell population expressing CXCR4 + mRNA markers for early stem cells targeted tissue ( UTKM ) .

Therapeutic strategies involving the use of stem cells in the clinic aroused great hopes in the medical world, becoming the subject of much controversy among scientists, lawyers, clergy, journalists and other opinion formers. This work is a summary of the author's lecture, which was presented at a conference organized by the Academy, dedicated to the clinical application of stem cells. Based on the literature data and the results of their own research author presented his position on this arouses great hopes and controversy, dynamically developing field.

Human skin is an organ rich in stem cells cultured in vitro form a so-called . holoklony . These cells express high levels of ? 1 - and ? 6 - integrin , p63 proteins , Delta1 , and ? - Catenin . Early keratinocytes are of much interest in research of both basic and clinical research , due to the possibility of their potential use in the treatment of trophic ulcers and burns . Although propagated from small biopsies ex vivo keratinocytes are successfully used in the clinic , our knowledge about the mechanisms regulating self-renewal and differentiation of skin stem cells is very limited.

Our group has demonstrated that early skeletal muscle cells (satellite cells) are expressed on the surface of the CXCR4 receptor. We have also found that isolated from skeletal muscle by successive passages and cells having a cell sorter CXCR4 expression form in vitro in cultured myotubes characteristic. We therefore believe that these cells can be used in the process of regeneration of muscle tissue. Conducted in the present study aims at optimizing the methods of isolation for clinical purposes.

Plasticity nieembrionalnych stem cells is one of the most controversial issues of modern biology and experimental medicine . The idea that stem cells can be targeted tissue -differentiate , giving rise to stem cells of other tissues and organs, presents both hope to develop new therapeutic strategies in medicine regeracyjnej just using these cells for treatment , on the other, is an important argument in contributing to the slowdown research into the use of a similar order of embryonic cells .

Hematopoietic stem cells ( KKM ) are able to renew the transplant patient's hematopoietic system . Renewal is preceded by their implantation ( called homing ) in the hematopoietic microenvironment of the bone marrow . Mechanisms regulating cell implantation in the bone marrow are therefore one of the issues on which they focus research hematologists clinical and experimental studies. Adhesion molecules are identified , proteolytic enzymes and chemotactic factors involved in cell engraftment after transplantation.