Patients suffering from diseased and injured organs may be treated with transplanted organs. However, there is a severe shortage of donor organs which is worsening yearly due to the ageing population. Scientists in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering apply the principles of cell transplantation, material science, and bioengineering to construct biological substitutes that will restore and maintain normal function in diseased and injured tissues. Nuclear transfer (therapeutic cloning) and other sources of stem cells, such as those derived from amniotic fluid and the placenta, offer a potentially limitless source of cells for tissue engineering applications. The stem cell field is also advancing rapidly, opening new options for therapy. We review recent advances that have occurred in regenerative medicine and describe applications of these new technologies that may offer novel therapies for patients with end-stage tissue and organ failure.