Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Studies about stem cell differentiation into thyroid cells are few. Research on embryonic stem cell differentiation into thyroid cell has made some achievements, but other types of stem cells have different features of differentiation, and whether they are able or unable to differentiate into thyroid cells remains to be further studied.
OBJECTIVE: To overview the advantages and disadvantages as well as progress in the research of induction and differentiation of stem cells into thyroid cells.
METHODS: A computer retrieval of PubMed database (1982-01/2011-04), Wanfang database (1982-01/2011-04), VIP database (1989-01/2011-04), and CNKI database (1994-01/2011-04) was done using the keywords of "stem cell, thyroid cells, induction, differentiation" in English and Chinese. A total of 1052 articles were retrieved, and finially 50 articles were included in result analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Patients with irreversible hypothyroidism require lifelong levo-thyroxin (L-T4) replacement therapy that makes them feel discomfortable. In recent years, stem cell research is expected to solve these medical problems. Directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells may towards thyroid cells in vitro, but reject reaction and ethical issues limit the application of embryonic stem cells. Other types of stem cells have different features, they under the different induced condition can differentiate into cells of different lineage, and they have been widely used to treat various diseases. However, there are no reports about differentiation into thyroid cells.