Regenerative medicine is the idea of rebuilding the tissues that are destroyed by degenerative disease. With regenerative medicine and stem cell biology, doctors are working to determine which cells can be used to help the body heal from within by growing new tissues. Because there is so much hope and hype surrounding stem cells and regenerative medicine, determining what is available and whether it is appropriate for a particular patient can be difficult. The Regenerative Medicine Consult Service, in the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center and Center for Clinical Regeneration, helps patients understand the science and the current regenerative medicine options that are available.

The consult service's physicians and nurses work to connect patients and their providers with exactly the care they need. In this video, Timothy J. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Regenerative Medicine Consult Service, gives an overview of regenerative medicine, stem cells and the Mayo Clinic Regenerative Medicine Consult Service.