Following nerve injury, Schwann cells ( SC ) play a crucial role in peripheralnerve regeneration by providing a pathway for regenerating axons and by replacing myelin, which is indispensable for nerve function. Even though cell therapy using SC seems to be effective and promising for the treatment of nerve injuries, there are several drawbacks: a healthy peripheral nerve must be sacrificed, the harvesting and expansion to obtain a sufficient number of cells present significant technical difficulties, and considerable time is required for the entire process.
　In recent years, adipose tissue has been identified as possessing a population of multipotent stem cells ( adipose-derived stem cells: ADSC ), which can differentiate not only to mesenchymal cells but also to a Schwann cell phenotype. Adipose tissue is recognized as having the potential to benefit the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. However, there is no common consensus about how to use these cells for clinical applications. The mechanisms involved and the level of transdifferentiation needed to form SC are not known.
　This article will focuses on the need to abtain a better understanding of stem cells in tissue repair and on the recent advances in the use of ADSC for peripheral nerve regeneration, with specific attention to the clinical potential of ADSC in nerve repair strategies.