by admin | Nov 28, 2018 | Stem Cell Therapy, Wharton's Jelly
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.
by admin | Nov 26, 2018 | Adipose, Aesthetics, Stem Cell Therapy
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.
by admin | Nov 21, 2018 | Stem Cell Therapy
Multiple sclerosis (MS) has widespread effects on the body. The disease is characterized by a breakdown of the protective cover surrounding the nerves, called the myelin sheath. When the myelin sheath is compromised, it makes it more difficult for the brain to communicate critical messages to the rest of the body. Unfortunately, the ways in which MS affects the body are rarely isolated: when nerve cells are damaged as a result of myelin sheath damage, it leads to a disconnection between the brain and the organs, muscles, and tissues.
Muscle Weakness & Pain
Muscle weakness can impede daily life, and for some, it turns even basic tasks into obstacles. Weakness is often reported by MS patients in the limbs, which can make it difficult to walk, shower, and get dressed. It’s also the culprit behind foot drop, in which the front part of the foot cannot be lifted. This causes individuals to adjust their gait, such as swing their leg outward.
Beyond weakness, MS also often produces muscular pain. Many people with MS experience a sensation of “pins and needles,” sharp pain, tingling, or aches. Involuntary muscle spasms are also common and are experienced primarily in the legs.
Treatment Options
While options such as nerve-blocking agents, muscle relaxants, and pain relievers may be prescribed to treat severe muscle spasms or pain, many patients choose to explore non-drug alternatives first. Working with an occupational therapist, for example, can aid people with muscle pain or weakness in developing different approaches for completing daily tasks and conserving energy. Physical therapists, too, can provide targeted exercises to strengthen key muscle groups, which could help to combat muscle weakness or pain. Lastly, lifestyle adjustments such as improved sleep habits, rest breaks, and assistive devices could help you navigate the muscular challenges presented by MS. Stem cell therapy may also be an alternative option those with MS may consider to potentially help in managing some of the symptoms associated with MS.
by admin | Nov 19, 2018 | Adipose, Osteoarthritis, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
Bone generally develops via one of two distinct mechanisms: intramembranous ossification and endochondral ossification. In the former case, mesenchymal progenitor cells directly differentiate into osteoblasts that form bone. In the latter case, the mesenchymal progenitor cells first create a matrix of cartilage that then acts as a template to enable the remodeling or development of bone tissue. This process of endochondral ossification is the predominant way that bone is generating during the healing process after bones are broken and fractures are endured. Using stem cells to facilitate this process can, therefore, be beneficial in non-healing bone fractures.
A new study published in Acta Biomaterialia has proposed that adipose tissue can be used in bone generation as a scaffold on which adipose mesenchymal stem cells can expand and allow for endochondral ossification. The researchers showed how adipose tissue could be used in this way, through what they termed Adiscaf, to successfully generate cartilage tissue and eventually bone tissue formation. The bone tissue that formed through this process contained bone marrow elements, further demonstrating the bone’s integrity and the promise of this procedure.
Compared to other strategies for building scaffolding, this strategy appeared successful because by using adipose tissue, the adipose stem cells were exposed to their native environment and therefore likely maintained functions they otherwise may not have. Not only will these findings help to solidify our understanding of how to nurture stem cells and enable them to differentiate in ways that can be therapeutically applicable, but they also specifically show how adipose tissue may be able to be used to generate a bone organ through endochondral ossification. Future research will likely help to clarify how these findings can be applied to patients to improve bone healing.
by admin | Nov 14, 2018 | Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
Evidence has been accumulating for years showing how stem cells can serve therapeutic functions. Much of this research focuses on how stem cells can be applied to damaged tissue to help regenerate the area. Because stem cells can differentiate into a wide variety of cell types, they can be widely utilized to repair distinct types of tissue. However, a recent paper published in the World Journal of Stem Cells has described how stem cells can also be used to carry therapeutic agents to tissues and organs to help with regeneration.
Stem cells are good candidates for delivering genes, proteins, and small molecules to areas of interest because they have an innate ability to migrate to sites of injury. One challenge for using stem cells for this type of therapeutic delivery is how to load the stem cells with the therapeutic agents. There are pros and cons for the techniques that have been investigated.
Polymeric nanoparticles, are FDA approved and are versatile, uploaded efficiently, and biocompatible. However, it is hard to control the release of the therapeutic agent from the stem cells. Magnetic nanoparticles are not associated with high levels of toxicity and are efficient with loading. However, they can induce oxidative stress in carrier cells.
Silica nanoparticles have quick uptake, are non-toxic, stay within cells for a long time, and are versatile. However, their tendency to stay within cells for a long time can sometimes be a disadvantage when the agent needs to be cleared.
Liposomal nanoparticles are relatively easy to manufacture and are versatile in their therapeutic agent delivery. However, these nanoparticles are less efficient at uptake and need higher concentrations of the therapeutic agent loaded, which can be toxic to cells.
Once stem cells are loaded with bioactive molecules, there are a few ways that they can be guided toward target organs. For instance, they can be systemically infused so that they can migrate to their target areas trough blood flow.
Further research will help to clarify how well stem cells can be used to help deliver therapeutic agents to damaged or impaired tissue. Investigation into the different nanoparticles, stem cells, and potential therapeutic applications will help us better understand the extent to which stem cells can be used in regenerative medicine.
by admin | Oct 30, 2018 | Studies, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
Spinal cord injury is the second leading cause of paralysis in the United States. When the spinal cord is severely injured, nerve cells in the spinal cord are damaged or destroyed. Also, a sort of scar forms in the affected area, which prevents nerve signals from traveling between the brain and the extremities. Consequently, people who sustain spinal cord injuries suffer from paralysis. The degree of paralysis depends on the location of the spinal cord injury; injuries higher on the spinal cord such as the neck or upper back area can lead to paralysis of all four limbs, for example. In almost all cases, the paralysis is permanent once it occurs, because nerve cells in the spinal cord do not regenerate.
Because spinal cord injuries are common and the consequences are usually permanent, researchers have been aggressively and tirelessly researching ways to treat this condition. One approach is to try to form new nerve cells in the spinal cord using stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells can become new nerve cells given the right set of circumstances. Unfortunately, simply injecting mesenchymal stem cells into patients with severe spinal cord injuries cannot reverse paralysis. On the other hand, using exosomes from mesenchymal stem cells may be the push that stem cells need to become nerve cells in the spinal cord.
Exosomes are tiny packets of cellular material released by stem cells. They contain a variety of potentially beneficial substances; perhaps the most important in cell regeneration is micro RNA (miRNA). miRNA can cause complex changes in cells that simple drugs, proteins, or even regular RNA cannot. Researchers cannot easily deliver miRNA to where it is needed in the body, but exosomes taken from stem cells can deliver miRNA right where it needs to be.
Researchers collected human mesenchymal stem cells and placed them in an environment that would cause them to become nerve cells. But instead of simply using the stem cells directly, they instead collected the exosomes from those stem cells. Those exosomes could then be used to prompt mesenchymal stem cells to become nerve cells. Simply put, the exosomes drove the process more efficiently than the stem cells alone.
What does this all mean? Exosomes taken from the mesenchymal stem cells could eventually be used to treat spinal cord injury. Those special exosomes would magnify the nerve cell-creating effect, perhaps restoring nerve cell function to a damaged spinal cord. Considerable research needs to be done before this possibility becomes a clinical reality, but this knowledge helps researchers design targeted experiments in the future.
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