The use of antisense strategies such as ribozymes, oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) in gene
therapy, in conjunction with the use of stem cells and tissue engineering, has opened up possibilities in curing degenerative
diseases and injuries to non-regenerating organs and tissues. With their unique ability to down-regulate or silence gene expression,
antisense oligonucleotides are uniquely suited in turning down the production of pathogenic or undesirable proteins and cytokines.
Here, we review the antisense strategies and their applications in regenerative medicine with a focus on their efficacies
in promoting cell viability, regulating cell functionalities as well as shaping an optimal microenvironment for therapeutic
purposes.
KEY WORDS antisense - oligodeoxynucleotides - regenerative medicine - ribozyme - RNA interference (RNAi)
Chunming Wang, and Yongchang Yao contributed equally.