Regenerative medicine: could Parkinson's be the first neurodegenerative disease to be cured?

Parkinson's disease is one of the most insidious neurodegenerative diseases in developed countries. Today, human pluripotent stem cells are produced from embryonic or adult cells, multiplied, differentiated into neural cell lines and ultimately transplanted into disease animal models or patients. Nowadays, DOPAminergic neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells and human parthenogenetic cells are being clinically tested in China and Australia, respectively. More importantly, good manufacturing practices have been developed and the neurons obtained have been successfully tested in nonhuman primates by teams in Europe, USA and Japan. However, there is a need for translational clinical studies with small molecules tested in vitro, as well as testing of the the efficacy of additional therapies. Lay abstract: The high prevalence of sporadic cases of Parkinson's disease is a serious health problem in developed societies. A safe regenerative therapy is urgently needed, and is among the most promising treatments. In several years, we can expect to see results from clinical studies using stem cells from across the globe. It is probable that the definitive cure will require more than one therapeutic approach, as discussed in this review.