[Stem cells of the enteric nervous system: causal therapy for Hirschsprung's disease?].

Stem cells are self-renewing cells with the potential to generate different cell types. The human organism depends on stem cells for organ development during embryogenesis. Upon completion of organogenesis, stem cells are also necessary for organ maintenance ("homeostasis") and for tissue regeneration. In view of the manifold functions of stem cells, it is not surprising that their malfunction results in diseases like Hirschsprung's disease, a disorder of the enteric nervous system of complex etiology. Potential stem cell application for the regeneration of diseased organs, such as the enteric nervous system in Hirschsprung's disease, is currently a focus of intense research.