A number of different stem cell types have been shown to exert significant therapeutic effects when transplanted into the central nervous system. These cells include non-hematopoietic stem cells such as mesenchymal stem cells and neural/progenitor stem cells and carry out their effects by secreting what are known as neurotrophic paracrine factors, whichhelp to control the immune system.
In recent years, it has been suggested that rather than requiring the injection of stem cells, brain injury repair may be achieved by injecting the molecules that stem cells tend to secrete – known as secretome. The stem cell secretome includes growth factors as well as cytokines and chemokines. Investigators have begun to explore whether delivering these substances, rather than stem cells, could offer a more efficient means to therapy.
The rationale is that by delivering these substances directly, it should be possible to stimulate the proliferation of progenitor cells in the central nervous system and therefore instigate repair. However, initial studies have shown that the infusion of individual cytokines does not have the expected effect. According to the authors of a review published in Biochimie, it may be that multiple substances will need to be simultaneously infused in pre-tested concentrations so that they can act synergistically to optimize therapeutic effects.
Clinical trials are underway to determine the safety to patients of the secretome approach and to identify any relevant risks so that potential risks can be weighed against potential benefits of this type of therapeutic approach. There is also research on a wide variety of topics that will need clarification if effective stem cell secretome therapies are to be developed for brain repair. These topics include clarifying aspects of tissue transport and determining the mechanisms by which secretomes confer their benefits.
Reference: Drago, D. (2014). The stem cell secretome and its
role in brain repair. Biochimie, 95(12),
2271-2285.
Researchers
have observed that the pH inside of certain stem cells affects their ability to
proliferate and differentiate. These cells include mesenchymal stem cells and
pluripotent stem cells, all of which have important applications in
regenerative medicine. It is therefore important that pH be optimized to ensure
that these stem cells can proliferate and differentiate so
that they can be as useful as possible when utilized for therapeutic purposes.
A recent review, published in Current Problems in Dermatology, explored the importance of pH to stem cell function as well as the factors that influence pH. According to the authors, a protein known as the sodium hydrogen exchanger regulates intracellular pH and impacts both the proliferation and differentiation of different types of stem cells. When pH is changed, either within the cell or outside the cell – where the cell is exposed to the change in pH – stem cell functions includingmaintenance, self-renewal, and pluripotency are altered.
The effect of pH in stem cells is highly relevant for skin conditions and therefore for the practice of dermatology. According to the reviewers, research on how the sodium hydrogen exchanger and pH levels affect skin stem cells (also known as epidermal stem cells) and their behavior could enable the discovery of new interventions to improve the use of stem cells in skin therapies. This research would be particularly relevant for skin conditions like melanoma, psoriasis, and wound healing because the movement and proliferation of stem cells are keyissues in these conditions.
Reference: Charruyer,
A. & Ghadially, R. (2018). Influence of pH on skin stem cells and their
differentiation. Current Problems in
Dermatology, 54, 71-78.
Stem cell therapy is used for a broad range of applications, including the treatment of injuries and chronic conditions. Before undergoing this form of therapy, many patients are naturally inclined to explore any possibilities which could enhance the effectiveness of treatment. One option which is sometimes posed to patients is voluntary fasting – but is there really any benefit to fasting prior to stem cell treatment?
What the Research Says
In May of 2018, MIT biologists announced that they’d made a groundbreaking discovery: according to their research, it appeared that fasting could boost stem cells’ regenerative capacity. In an animal study, fasting spurred cells to break down fatty acids instead of glucose, which stimulates stem cells to become more regenerative.
Yet, the evidence only showed the metabolic switch taking place in the intestinal stem cells. After mice fasted for 24 hours, the researchers removed intestinal stem cells and grew them, finding that the fasting doubled the cells’ regenerative capacity.
Unfortunately, while this finding could hold value for patients recovering from gastrointestinal infections or other conditions affecting the intestine, as of yet, there is no concrete evidence which suggests it could benefit patients receiving stem cell therapy for other conditions. For instance, someone who is undergoing stem cell therapy to treat a musculoskeletal injury may likely yield no benefit from fasting, as the enhanced regenerative effects have only been observed in intestinal cells.
Further Studies Are Needed
Aside from the study’s limited scope, the research leader himself also indicated that the findings are still too narrow for drawing concrete conclusions. When interviewed for a publication in Medium, senior author of the study and assistant professor of biology, Omer Yilmaz, said that while stem cells do indeed use fat for energy to improve function, “the next step is to work to understand why that is.” He also added that “with these types of interventions, there’s never one simple answer.”
For now, there appears to be too much uncertainty to recommend fasting prior to stem cell therapy. Because these findings have not been observed in any humans, and those that have been observed were concentrated to intestinal cells, anyone who is receiving stem cell therapy can consider that eating beforehand is possibly unlikely to play any role in altering the results of their treatment.
The effects of aging can present themselves in various ways. Sagging, discolored skin, wrinkles, and a loss of fullness and vibrancy around the face and neck are all signs of aging. These obvious signs of aging are partially caused by aging stem cells in the skin. When we are young, the stem cells in our skin are highly active and contribute to healthy, radiant skin. As stem cells age, however, they produce less and less of the substances that help keep the cells around them plump and healthy. Likewise, old stem cells only have a limited ability to become fully functioning adult cells. For these reasons, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and other professionals in the aesthetics industry look to stem cell therapy as a way to combat the effects of aging on the skin and its appearance.
Many will claim that stem cells do have the potential to rejuvenate skin and slow or even reverse the signs of aging, but sadly, it is difficult for most consumers to tell the difference between the products that just claim to provide stem cell therapy and those that actually deliver it. Some advertisements seem very medically sophisticated. Ideally, however, prospective patients and clients should seek treatment from board-certified physicians who provide treatments using one’s own stem cells (adipose) or from umbilical cord-derived tissues that are carefully screened and regulated.
In summary, stem cells could have an enormous benefit for people who want to slow or reverse the signs of aging. However, some, if not most, commercially available anti-aging stem cell therapies are not currently able to deliver the results they claim. It is important for patients to look for reputable, board-certified providers who are using state-of-the-art technologies in clean, regulated facilities.
Perinatal stem cells have been attracting attention globally in recent years due to their potential in regenerative medicine. These stem cells come in many forms, due to the wide variety of potential sources for these cells. Perinatal stem cells, for instance, may be umbilical cord-derived hematopoietic stem cells, amniotic epithelial cells, amniotic fluid stem cells, or chorionic mesenchymal stem cells. All sources, nonetheless are considered biological waste and are therefore usually discarded after delivery of babies.
Importantly, perinatal stem cells, despite their origin, tend to share a number of characteristics that make them beneficial in treating conditions. Additionally, unlike other sources of stem cells, retrieval of perinatal stem cells is noninvasive and does not require the ethical considerations that retrieval from other sources may involve. A recent review in Regenerative Medicine has highlighted the potential benefits of perinatal stem cells in therapeutic interventions.
In addition to the relatively easy collection and preparation of perinatal stem cells, these cells tend to be easily harvested and manipulated without harming either the mother or the baby. Upon collection, these stem cells exist in high volume and have greater ability to proliferate than other stem cell types such as bone marrow stem cells. Research has also shown that these cells tend not to lead to adverse immune reactions, though the mechanisms involved in their relationship to the immune system are not well understood.
Given their relative advantages over other stem cell types, perinatal stem cells are well poised to be used in cell-based therapies targeting a wide variety of conditions. Future research will help to define the precise role these cells can play in regenerative medicine and which conditions they may be most useful for.
Although all living organisms experience aging, scientists have relatively little understanding of why aging occurs. The leading theories on aging suggest that living creatures sustain damage to their DNA through exposure to ultraviolet light, toxins, or even the day-to-day stresses of using oxygen for our cellular metabolism. Whatever the cause, this DNA damage causes cells to 1) repair themselves, 2) die, or 3) enter a middle state called senescence where they remain alive, but simply stop participating in active living. If cells successfully repair themselves, they don’t perceptibly age. If cells enter senescence or die, the body shows signs of aging.
The bottom line: If we can help cells repair themselves, and replace dying and senescent cells, we can slow or even reverse aging. All of this may be possible through the careful use of stem cells.
As we age, stem cells lose the ability to renew themselves, to become other cells (differentiate) and to replace aged cells. Older stem cells secrete less and less of the substances that help the cells around them stay young and healthy. Not only do our regular cells age, but so do our stem cells. This is perhaps the strongest point for using stem cells to reverse the visible signs of aging.
Adipose-derived stem cells are one of the most promising sources of stem cells for anti-aging and regenerative medicine. They are easy to harvest by liposuction to remove stem cells along with fat cells. In addition, adipose-derived stem cells have the potential to become all cell types in the skin; namely fat cells, skin cells, muscle cells, and fibroblasts, and others. Even if the stem cells do not become other cells, they strongly secrete cytokines and other substances that help renew and replenish the cells around them.
While additional research is required, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells are currently being tested in clinical trials to treat a number of age-related conditions. Indeed, clinicians are currently using the stem cells to perform a number of aesthetic procedures such as breast or buttock augmentation, hand rejuvenation, as facial dermal fillers, and to promote and restore hair growth. As we learn more about how to use the power of stem cells in aesthetic procedures, we will be able to better address the visible signs of aging in the face and body.
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