The Efficacy and Safety of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: An Update

During the past decade, many studies using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or adipose-derivedstem cells (ASCs) have been conducted in various medical fields, from cardiovascular researchto applications for corneal diseases. Nonetheless, there are several limitations of practicalapplications of PRP and ASCs. Most reports of PRP are anecdotal and few include controlsto determine the specific role of PRP. There is little consensus regarding PRP production andcharacterization. Some have reported the development of an antibody to bovine thrombin,which was the initiator of platelet activation. In the case of ASCs, good manufacturing practicesare needed for the production of clinical-grade human stem cells, and in vitro expansion ofASCs requires approval of the Korea Food and Drug Administration, such that considerableexpense and time are required. Additionally, some have reported that ASCs could have apotential risk of transformation to malignant cells. Therefore, the authors tried to investigatethe latest research on the efficacy and safety of PRP and ASCs and report on the current stateand regulation of these stem cell-based therapies.