Although regenerative medicine technology using stem cells for tissue and bone repair and regeneration are in their infancy, several uses are gaining acceptance within the equine industry.
At UC Davis in California, a team of 10 research scientist are working to develop stem cells for clinical applications in horses. Ongoing work is focused on determining how to administer and monitor cells for treatment applications in repair of bone, tendon and ligament injuries.
Degenerative joint disease is a problem in performance horses and has a great economic impact on the horse industry. Stem cell therapy for joint disease has been experimentally done using stem cell therapy and researchers indicate that initial results are positive.
Fracture repair is another challenging area of equine surgery. Researchers are working on a number of ways to overcome the complexities of fracture repair in these large animals. Although bone grafts offer an advantage because they contain live active cells, the impact of harvesting bone, the potential graft rejection and poor integration make the procedure a risky one in most horses.
Tendon and ligament injuries in performance horses are the most common disorders currently being treated with stem cells. One researcher has shown a lower recurrence rate of bowed tendons in racehorses treated with stem cells (18%) compared with traditional therapies (56%).
Clinical trials with local stem cell injection are being used for treatment of suspensory ligament injuries of the fore and hind limbs. Anecdotally, the results have been promising.
Other researchers are investigating other uses of stem cells including uses of adult fat stem-cell therapy. Equine candidates for adult fat stem-cell therapy include horses with old or chronic ligament, suspensory, or tendon injuries, and fractures.
According to research statistics, more than 3000 horses have already benefited from adult stem cell treatment. Equine cartilage damage and degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) are being explored now as well.