Stem cells, by virtue of their defining property of self-renewal, represent an unlimited source of potentially functional human cells for basic research and regenerative medicine. Having validated the feasibility of cell-based therapeutic strategies over the past decade, mostly through the use of rodent cells, the stem cell field has now embarked upon a detailed characterization of human cells. Recent progress has included improved cell culture conditions, long-term propagation, directed differentiation, and transplantation of both human embryonic and somatic stem cells. Continued progress in understanding basic human stem cell biology, combined with a better handle on the fundamental pathophysiology of human diseases one wishes to target (including the use of human stem cells in primate and other large animal models of human disease), should help to move this technology closer to clinical application.

中文翻译：

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干细胞疗法的前沿。

干细胞凭借其自我更新的定义特性，代表了用于基础研究和再生医学的潜在功能性人类细胞的无限来源。在过去十年中，主要通过使用啮齿动物细胞，已经验证了基于细胞的治疗策略的可行性，现在，干细胞领域已着手对人类细胞进行详细的表征。最近的进展包括改善细胞培养条件，长期繁殖，定向分化以及人类胚胎干细胞和体干细胞的移植。在理解基本人类干细胞生物学方面的不断进步，以及人们希望针对的人类疾病基本病理生理学的更好处理（包括在灵长类动物和其他大型人类疾病动物模型中使用人类干细胞），