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The domestic cat is a mammalian species of particular importance due to their evolutionary history, role as companion animals and as a research model. Stem-cell-based therapies have been developed to improve health and well-being in domestic cats, as an alternative approach for the conservation of genetically valuable animals and preservation of endangered animals, and as an efficient method to produce genetically engineered cats for modeling human diseases. Successful application of stem-cell-based therapies in cats is dependent on development of robust methods to efficiently isolate stem cells and a better understanding of the mechanisms that control stem cell fate to differentiate these cells into specific phenotypes. This chapter describes recent progress on the isolation, culture, and characterization of pluripotent and multipotent stem cells and preliminary trials in regenerative medicine in domestic cats and prospects for applications to conservation and veterinary care of endangered felids. |
