Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesNarrative ReviewEurope PMCOpen access

Aging puzzle: A closer look on the complex dilemma of autologous stem cell therapy

Choudhery MS., Arif T., Mahmood R.

Narrative Review, published in World J Stem Cells (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

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Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesEvidence level of this study

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

  • Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
  • Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
  • Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
  • Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
  • Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
Read the A–D evidence level guide

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Narrative Review
Journal
World J Stem Cells (2026)
Reported sample size
—
Source database
Europe PMC
PMID
41608650
PMCID
PMC12836196
DOI
10.4252/wjsc.v18.i1.114119
Citations
1

Abstract (original English)

Regenerative medicine is a promising therapeutic avenue for previously incurable diseases. As the risk of chronic and degenerative diseases significantly increases with age, the elderly population represents a major cohort for stem cell-based therapies. However, the regenerative potential of stem cells significantly decreases with advanced age and deteriorating health status of the donor. Therefore, the efficacy of autologous stem cell therapy is significantly compromised in older patients. To overcome these limitations, alternative strategies have been used to restore the age- and disease-depleted function of stem cells. These methods aim to restore the therapeutic efficacy of aged stem cells for autologous use. This article explores the effect of donor age and health status on the regenerative potential of stem cells. It further highlights the limitations of stem cell-based therapy for autologous treatment in the elderly. A comprehensive insight into the potential strategies to address the "age" and "disease" compromised regenerative potential of autologous stem cells is also presented. The information provided here serves as a valuable resource for physicians and patients for optimization of stem cell-based autologous therapy for aged patients.

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
  • • This is a narrative review: it collects no new patient data and does not systematically appraise evidence quality.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

How we grade evidence

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