One of the cornerstones of cell therapy is the ability to select and manipulate specific cell types for therapeutic purposes. Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are valuable in regenerative medicine due to their ability to differentiate into various cell types. Budi et al. demonstrated the advantages of 3D organoid cultures over traditional 2D systems in the generation of functional cholangiocytes, which are critical for treating cholangiopathies. These conditions, often leading to liver failure, currently lack effective treatments beyond transplantation. This advancement in creating mature, functional cells opens the door to cell-based therapies for liver diseases.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have shown remarkable success in cancer immunotherapy, particularly in hematologic malignancies like B-cell lymphomas. However, their application in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains challenging due to difficulties in identifying AML-specific target antigens. Ongoing research, including studies by Guijarro-Albaladejo et al., aims to refine CAR-T technology by improving target specificity and reducing off-target effects. Additionally, Selvarajan et al. highlighted the importance of optimizing bioreactor platforms to expand T-cells, enabling the large-scale production needed for commercial application.

Further expanding the scope of immune cell therapies, CAR-macrophages (CAR-Ms) are emerging as a promising solution for solid tumor treatment. Unlike CAR-T cells, CAR-Ms can thrive within the tumor microenvironment and have shown the potential to persist and effectively combat solid tumors. These findings suggest that CAR-Ms may overcome some limitations of CAR-T cell therapy, which faces challenges in treating solid tumors (Huang et al.).

In the context of immunotherapy, gene-editing technologies, such as CRISPR, are being employed to enhance CAR-T cell functionality. By refining gene-editing protocols and improving CAR expression, researchers are working to create more specific, potent, and scalable therapies (Guijarro-Albaladejo et al.). The continuous optimization of induction protocols, coupled with advancements in bioprocessing technologies, is crucial for the successful translation of these therapies into clinical practice.

Moreover, the exploration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as therapeutic agents for chronic kidney disease (CKD) reveals the importance of delivery methods in maximizing therapeutic efficacy. Gregersen et al. compare systemic and local delivery of preconditioned MSCs, concluding that local administration results in superior outcomes for renal fibrosis by directly targeting the diseased site. Their findings suggest that while MSCs hold great promise in treating fibrosis, the mode of delivery plays a crucial role in determining therapeutic success.

Scaling up the production of therapeutic cells while maintaining their functionality is one of the most pressing challenges in the commercialization of cell therapies. Studies like those by Selvarajan et al. have demonstrated the efficacy of using dynamic bioreactor systems, such as stirred-tank and WAVE bioreactors, to enhance T-cell expansion while preserving cell quality. These bioreactors allow for uniform culture conditions and minimize cell damage, making it feasible to produce large quantities of therapeutic cells.

In regenerative medicine, 3D organoid cultures have emerged as a powerful tool for modeling complex tissue structures and functions. The ability to create organoids that mimic human tissues not only improves cell functionality but also provides a valuable platform for disease modeling and drug testing. These advancements in 3D culture techniques are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in cell therapy, offering more realistic models for studying disease mechanisms and developing new therapies (Budi et al.).

Copyright © 2024 Selvarajan, Gan and Ng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Viknesvaran Selvarajan, viknesvaran_selvarajan@bti.a-star.edu.sg; Samuel Ken-En Gan, samgan@apdskeg.com; Yuen Ling Ng, yuenling.ng@newcastle.ac.uk