An Overview of Stem Cells Applications in Military Medicine

War's nature is constantly changing over time with the progress in military technology and weapons of war, which has led to a diverse pattern of tissue injuries. Developments in personal protective equipment and body armor, rapid transfer from the battlefield to medical centers, improved resuscitation measures, bleeding control, and wound management have increasingly contributed to the wounded survival. However, the injured suffer tissue injuries of various degrees, thereby undergoing complicated and prolonged treatments. An increasing incidence of injuries caused by explosive devices in modern wars has more complicated treatment and recovery of the injured, highlighting the need for modern treatment methods based on stem cells in military medicine. Stem cells can be harvested from various sources such as bone marrow, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, skin, umbilical cord blood and Wharton's jelly, placenta and amniotic fluid, and with the ability of self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation into functional cells of different tissues, anti-inflammatory, paracrine and immune system modulating activities have been considered as a promising therapeutic approach to many battlefield injuries and their complications. Recent research in this area reveals the development of solutions to reduce critical consequences when facing the injuries caused by warfare. Thereby, in this review, in addition to outlining the most important tissue injuries in modern combat, recent developments in the use of stem cells for the regeneration of injured tissues have been highlighted.