Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi, cilt.46, sa.4, ss.656-665, 2024 (Hakemli Dergi)
Stem cells are unspecialized cells in the human body. They can differentiate into any cell of the organism and have the ability to renew themselves. Thus, they contribute to the formation of all mature cells in the body and form the basis of every cell, tissue and organ. A stem cell can ensure both self-renewal and differentiation.
Süreyya Tahsin Aygün received his Ph.D. from the Berlin School of Veterinary Medicine in 1926. He focused on cell culture and conducted studies on cardiac stem cells. He observed the regenerative and proliferative capacity of cardiac stem cells. Aygün concluded that young, immature, homogeneous human cells have an unexpected medical effect because animal cells are suitable for animal organism and human cells are suitable for human organism. Aygün's treatment with human cell cultures can be used for many diseases such as heart, kidney, liver and circulatory diseases, stroke, tumors, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis. Even prolongation of physiological age and life expectancy combined with visible rejuvenation has come into the realm of possibility as pathophysiologically aging cells regress and are replaced by young, viable human cultured cells.
Süreyya Tahsin Aygün is the first Turkish scientist to work on stem cells. Süreyya Tahsin Aygün's studies in Germany and Turkey demonstrate his contribution to stem cell and regenerative medicine. Looking at Aygün's other studies, one better understands the importance of joint research between veterinary medicine and medicine. Ord. prof. Aygün's work "Die Human-Zellkultur-Therapie, Neue erfolgreiche Möglichkeiten zur Therapie des Mongolismus und anderer Krankheiten" and other works should be reissued in view of their contribution to today's medical developments.