Cell therapy involves utilizing specific cells, often stem cells or immune cells, to treat diseases or repair damaged tissues within the body. These cells may be harvested from the patient themselves (autologous) or from a donor (allogeneic). Once collected, these cells are altered and sometimes expanded in a laboratory setting before being reintroduced into the patient. Cell therapy can be used to replace damaged cells, stimulate the immune system to target diseased cells, or deliver therapeutic agents directly to the affected tissues.

Gene therapy, on the other hand, aims to treat genetic or acquired diseases by modifying or correcting the genetic material within cells. This can involve adding, deleting, or replacing genes in cells, to introduce a functional gene to replace a faulty one, repairing mutations in existing genes, or altering gene expression to achieve a therapeutic effect. Gene therapy can be delivered to cells in vivo (inside the body) or ex vivo (outside the body, typically in cultured cells), depending on the specific approach and target disease. The ultimate goal of gene therapy is to address the underlying genetic cause of disease and restore normal cellular function.