by admin | Mar 28, 2018 | Parkinson's Disease, Stem Cell Research
Recently, researchers transplanted stem cells into patients suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and observed promising results, particularly with respect to the safety of using stem cells in this group of patients. The specific type of stem cells used are called autologous bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. These cells have been deemed promising candidates for treating Parkinson’s patients for a variety of reasons, and so researchers have begun to use them in patients. The hope is that as we collect more and more data, we will gain a more comprehensive understanding of if and how these cells can improve the lives of those with Parkinson’s Disease.
In the current study, researchers transplanted the bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in 7 patients with Parkinson’s Disease. The patients ranged in age from 22 to 62. The patients were then followed for a period of 10 to 36 months. The researchers used measures such as the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Hoen and Yahr (H&Y), and Schwab and England (S&E) scores to evaluate Parkinsonian symptoms in these patients.
Given that the researchers did not observe any major adverse side effects, they conclude that the use of these stem cells in Parkinson’s Disease patients appears to be safe. They also found it promising that certain Parkinson’s Disease symptoms improved in some patients following stem cell transplantation. For instance, facial expression, freezing episodes, and patients’ gaits showed some improvement. However, given that these observations were subjective, the researchers are careful to mention that they cannot claim that the stem cells caused the improvements that were observed. Nonetheless, 2 of the patients were able to significantly reduce their doses of their Parkinson’s medications.
This study was uncontrolled and involved a small number of patients, so future research is needed to better understand the potential of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells for helping Parkinson’s Disease patients. However, it is promising to see that there were no adverse side effects in this group of patients and that some symptoms appeared to improve.
by admin | Mar 26, 2018 | Stem Cell Research
Therapies using stem cells are becoming more and more popular over time, and research is helping to clarify how these types of therapies can help patients. A new review published this year in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy has provided a comprehensive description of the ways stem cells may be used for plastic and cosmetic surgeries.
Though many different stem cell types have been investigated for their potential to help achieve desired aesthetic results through plastic and cosmetic surgeries, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells appear to be the most promising, based on current research. These types of stem cells are known to produce proteins that become deficient during aging and that are characteristic of youthful, undamaged skin.
Studies have shown that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells can improve the thickness of the skin and increase cellular proliferation and differentiation. These features are not only beneficial for helping with voluntary cosmetic procedures but can also help with wound healing, scar remodeling, fat grafting, and local tissue ischemia.
Adipose tissue offers advantages over other tissues that can provide stem cells, such as bone marrow. For instance, it is easier to retrieve stem cells from adipose tissue than from many other tissues. The cells from adipose tissue also tend not to have to be expanded within a lab, so they can often be used at the same time that they are extracted. This feature of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells makes them convenient to use and can reduce the pain and recovery time patients must endure when undergoing cell-based therapies.
Over time, researchers are likely to recognize the relative advantages of different types of stem cells for cosmetic and plastic surgery purposes. However, at this point, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells appear to provide the greatest opportunity to improve outcomes in these types of procedures.
Find out why Mesenchymal stem cells have regenerative potential by clicking here.
by admin | Mar 24, 2018 | Age Management, Stem Cell Research
Given the promising results that stem cells have shown for therapies against brain disease and disorders, researchers have reasoned that stem cells could also be useful for age-related neurodegenerative disease and stroke. Aging indeed is related to several of the physiological changes that occur in the brains of those who suffer from neurodegenerative disorders. A recent review published in Ageing Research and Reviews outlines the ways stem cells may be used for cell-based therapies in stroke and neurodegeneration, as well as the benefits and limitations of stem cell approaches to these pathological conditions.
According to the authors, stem cells can be used to help with a number of the physiological marks of neurodegeneration. Loss of neurons and synapses is one of the more direct ways that stem cells can potentially help. By replacing these neural elements, stem cells can potentially reverse the impact of their loss. These functions may include both motor and cognitive aspects.
In addition to the loss of cell bodies and neural gray matter, the white matter of the brain is also affected by aging. The axons that connect cells to one another lose their plasticity and ability to repair themselves over time. These types of dysfunctions represent other ways that stem cells may be able to help with age-related neurodegenerative disorders.
Other problematic aspects of aging and associated neuropathologies are oxidative stress and misfolded proteins. While there has been some research to suggest that stem cells may be relevant for these issues, more research is needed to understand how stem cells may be able to help with neurodegeneration that results from these features that are often associated with aging. While the role of stem cells may be clearer when it comes to other aspects of neurodegeneration, future research will also help us understand how we can best apply this knowledge to help those suffering from neurodegenerative disease – age-related and otherwise.
Learn more about our stem cell therapy for age management here.
by admin | Mar 22, 2018 | Parkinson's Disease, Stem Cell Research
A recent review has outlined the potential of using stem cells to treat Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s Disease patients have been limited by the realities of their treatment options. Generally, treatments act to relieve symptoms that occur with Parkinson’s Disease rather than the underlying cause. More specifically, by substituting a brain chemical called dopamine, or by trying to enhance the effects that naturally occurring dopamine has in the brain, these treatments aim to reduce the motor symptoms that are commonly associated with the disease. Unfortunately, none of these treatments can actually regenerate the dopamine neurons that are destroyed by the disease.
Given the potential for stem cells to replace critical cell groups, researchers in neuroscience have reasoned that stem cells could provide a cell-based therapy for Parkinson’s Disease patients. Given that a loss of dopaminergic functioning in a key feature of the disease, using stem cells to restore this functioning could potentially relieve symptoms and also slow the progression of the disease.
Based on this rationale, researchers have wanted to perform clinical trials to determine how stem cells impact Parkinson’s Disease patients. Based on the research thus far, it seems that mesenchymal stem cells are the best candidate for cell-based therapies against Parkinson’s disease. However, there are several details that need to be worked out to determine which tissue or tissues would be best for deriving these stem cells and exactly how to use the stem cells to help patients. For instance, according to the authors of the review, it is likely that Parkinson’s Disease patients will need the transplant of cells that produce another brain chemical, serotonin, in addition to those that produce dopamine because serotonin is implicated in the non-motor symptoms of the disease.
Research to develop cell-based therapies for Parkinson’s Disease is still in its infancy. However, as our understanding of the disease itself – as well as of how stem cells can be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases – we will hopefully start to leverage stem cells to develop effective therapies that help Parkinson’s Disease patients.
Learn more about our stem cell treatment for Parkinson’s Disease here.
by admin | Mar 20, 2018 | Heart Failure, Stem Cell Research
A recent study, published in Circulation Research, has shown how umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells may help patients who suffer from heart failure. The researchers observed patients with heart failure that was chronic and stable and that presented with reduced ejection fraction. Ejection fraction refers to the percentage of blood that leaves the heart each time the heart contracts and is normally 55% or higher. A reduced ejection fraction can indicate weakness, damage, or other problems.
In their investigation, the scientists aimed to evaluate whether infusing umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in this group of heart failure patients is safe – and whether the cells could improve any of the clinical features of heart failure in these patients. To do this, they infused 15 patients with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and used a placebo in 15 other patients. They then tested patients for adverse side effects on the day they underwent infusions, as well as 15 and 90 days after the procedure.
None of the patients who underwent mesenchymal stem cell infusions exhibited adverse side effects over the period of time in which they were observed. Additionally, none of the patients tested positive for antibodies against the stem cells, meaning that the patients’ immune systems were not negatively reacting to the infusions. Based on these results, the researchers concluded that the mesenchymal stem cell transplants were safe for this group of heart failure patients.
The researchers also tested the patients’ cardiac function and quality of life 3, 6, and 12 months after the mesenchymal stem cell infusions. To do so, the scientists used imaging to look at the heart, employed ejection fraction level tests, and implemented what are known as the New York Heart Association functional class and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire.
The scientists’ tests showed that ejection fraction increased in the patients who had undergone mesenchymal stem cell infusions, with the most significant increase apparent at 6-month post-infusion. The patients who had received the placebo treatment, on the other hand, did not show any change in ejection fraction. Functional status and quality of life were also better because of mesenchymal stem cell infusion than placebo. Future studies will help us better understand how we can use these cells to help those with heart failure.
Learn about the regenerative potential of Mesenchymal stem cells here.
by admin | Mar 17, 2018 | Stem Cell Research
Degenerative joint diseases like Osteoarthritis are difficult to effectively treat, as total joint arthroplasties are often associated with poor outcomes. Following these surgeries, many patients need additional interventions. As such, clinicians and researchers have begun to turn to new therapeutic options for degenerative joint diseases. Stem cells offer one promising route for these types of therapies, and clinical data have shown that patients with knee osteoarthritis have experienced less pain after stem cell transplants. A recent article, published in Arthroscopy Techniques, lays out a way to use stem cell transplantation to help patients with degenerative joint disease of the knee.
Mesenchymal stem cells are good candidates for helping with degenerative disease because of their ability to differentiate into chondrocytes, the cells that make up joints. In many cases, therapies are formed based on the use of mesenchymal stem cells that come from either fat tissue (called adipose tissue) or bone marrow tissue. In the current article, the authors lay out the process for using adipose-derived stem cells for degenerative joint disease of the knee. The authors focus on this type of stem cell because adipose tissue has been shown to be richer in mesenchymal stem cells and are less likely to lead to certain types of complications. For instance, they have been shown to have an anti-inflammatory response that helps to modify immune activity.
In this technique, the stem cells themselves are extracted from adipose tissue using liposuction, which is minimally invasive. The authors also detail how to position the patient for the stem cell extraction procedure in order to achieve optimal results. They explain exactly how to extract the cells and then how to process them. Finally, they detail how to go about injecting the stem cells into the patient with neurodegenerative joint disease of the knee and what is needed for the patient postoperatively.
The use of adipose-derived stem cell transplants for degenerative joint disease is still relatively new. However, that researchers are putting focused efforts and resources into developing detailed best practices for these types of interventions suggests that these types of therapies will be used more in the future and that the procedures will improve over time as we collect more relevant data.
Learn about our stem cell therapy for Osteoarthritis here.
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