StemSource Inc. aims to derive stem cells from adipose tissue removed during liposuctions. This fat will be the foundation for what the company intends as a diverse platform: it has created a stem cell bank in which patients can store their own cells for future use. And it plans to take a portion of those deposited adult stem cells and develop them for a wide range of therapeutic, autologous applications.

A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, Skin Repair, features profiles of Artecel Sciences Inc., Niadyne Inc., Reconstructive Technologies Inc. and Renovo Ltd..Plus these selected Start-ups across Health Care: Aptilon Health Inc., Neuronyx Inc. , Oxxon Pharmaccines Ltd. and Third Millennium Inc.

A handful of start-ups hopes to fill the cracks in the fragmented market for skin repair. Their approaches vary widely; British start-up Renovo has a pharmaceutical approach to the prevention of scarring. Reconstructive Technologies believes that the best replacement for skin is skin itself; it has developed a bioreactor that accelerates the growth of autograft skin, with both {in vivo} and {in vitro} systems. Artecel Sciences will use adipose-derived stromal cells in cosmesis and hematopoietic support. Niadyne 's platform of unique formulations of niacin lend themselves to a variety of applications, in cosmeceuticals and in cardiovascular disease.

If recent studies are to be believed, America's obsession with diet and exercise has done little to trim the country's collective flab. While this is hardly good news on the health care front, one company is attempting to turn at least some of that fat into therapeutic muscle. In particular, Artecel Sciences Inc. is exploring ways in which cells harvested from fat tissue can be used in a variety of medical applications, including tissue repair and hematopoietic support for bone marrow transplantation.