What Is a Stem Cell Niche? -- New Strategy for Comprehensive Analysis of Gene Functions in Embryonic Stem cells -- Paternal Dual Barrier by Ifg2-H19 and Dlk1-Gtl2 to Parthenogenesis in Mice -- Cell-Cell Fusion as a Means to Establish Pluripotency -- Toward Reprogramming Cells to Pluripotency -- Molecular Switches and Developmental Potential of Adult Stem Cells -- Adult Small Intestinal Stem Cells: Identification, Location, Characteristics, and Clinical Applications -- Tracking Stem Cells In Vivo -- Establishment of Nuclear Transfer Embryonic Stem Cell Lines from Adult Somatic Cells by Nuclear Transfer and Its Application -- Derivation of Germ Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells -- Germline Recruitment in Mice: A Genetic Program for Epigenetic Reprogramming -- Transplantation of Germ Line Stem Cells for the Study and Manipulation of Spermatogenesis -- Progenitor Cell-Based Myelination as a Model for Cell-Based Therapy of the Central Nervous System -- Adult Neural Stem Cells and Central Nervous System Repair -- Stem Cell Therapy for Parkinsonâ€{u3804}isease.

Recently, expectations of the potential of regenerative medicine have risen because of the exciting results obtained in various areas of research. This book contains contributions from leading researchers in the field who describe their successes and the problems that remain in converting the hopes into concrete therapies. The focus of the book is on the role of stem cells in two main areas -- reproduction and the brain -- described from molecular, cellular, in vivo and clinical perspectives.