Did You Get Your Stem Cells Today?
Author: J Schipper
Stem cells, undifferentiated or poorly differentiated cells
obtained from fetal or other tissues, show great promise in
treating many different diseases. Due to ethical concerns and
the difficulty of obtaining fetal stem cells, scientists are
trying to use patients' own cells instead. Stem cells derived
from the patient, also called autologous cells, are slightly
more specialized than the very primitive stem cells in fetal
tissue, but they are easier to obtain and certainly more
plentiful. Several studies indicate that these cells offer
great hope in treating disease. Using autologous cells
eliminates the risk of rejection, graft versus host reaction or
disease transmission and avoids ethical concerns.
Stem cells from embryos are pluripotent; that is, they can
transform into any type of tissue. Adults have stem cells in
various organs, but these are more specialized, and until
recently scientist were of the opinion that these cells were
only capable of giving rise to certain types of tissue.
However, as of late 2000, medical researchers have discovered
that small numbers of pluripotent stem cells can be harvested
from bone marrow, cord blood, and placentas. It even seems
that, under some circumstances, hematopoetic (blood-producing)
stem cells can be coaxed to grow into other types of tissue.
Autologous stem cells have been used for many years in patients
undergoing high-dose chemotherapy for cancer. Research shows
that in certain cases cancer can be more effectively treated,
and the risk of cancer recurrence dramatically reduced, by
treating it with higher doses of chemotherapy. These drugs
cause complete bone marrow failure, so before undergoing
treatment, cells are harvested and stored, then reinjected into
the patient's blood stream after chemotherapy is concluded.
These hematopoetic stem cells then settle in the bone marrow
and restore its function.
Umbilical cord blood contains blood stem cells that are even
more primitive than the blood stem cells found in bone marrow,
but not many people have their stored umbilical cords
available. However, cord banks are springing up in every major
city, and perhaps someday it will be routine to save the
umbilical cord of every baby born. Currently, the service is
fairly expensive, with clinics advertising online with fees of
approximately $2000 for the first year, and $125 for every year
thereafter. However, as the service becomes more popular the
price will almost certainly decrease.
Adipose (fat) tissue is a plentiful source of donor tissue
which has advantages over many other sources of
regenerative-capable cells such as skeletal muscle, bone
marrow, embryonic and fetal tissue. It is plentiful, easy to
access (unlike painful bone marrow extractions) and consists of
a mixed variety of cells useful in tissue regeneration, such as
adult stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells which can form
blood vessels, and other growth factor producing cells to
promote tissue growth and repair.
An animal study of the use of adipose-tissue stem cells was
presented at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics 2004
meeting in Washington D.C. by MacroPore Biosurgery, Inc.
(Frankfurt: XMP). The research showed that adipose
tissue-derived regenerative cells improved heart function
following myocardial infarction in a large-animal preclinical
safety study performed on swine. The results suggest that the
Company's proprietary, patented technology is safe and may be
useful in treating heart disease in humans. The adipose
tissue-derived regenerative cells were delivered into coronary
circulation without prior cell culture.
All 13 swine surviving to the 6-month follow-up period, and 2D
echocardiography showed a statistically significant improvement
in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at six-months
post-infarction in the treated group compared to a control
group.
Aside from experimental work on animals , autologous stem cells
are already being employed in veterinary medicine to treat leg
injuries in racehorses. The new treatment, developed three
years ago by Roger Smith and his colleagues at the UK's Royal
Veterinary College in North Mymms, Hertfordshire, requires bone
marrow stem cells obtained from the horse's own sternum. The
cells are then multiplied in the laboratory and injected into
the damaged area, where they regenerate tissue in the clefts
typical of these injuries.
Results show that racehorses treated with stem cells recover
from tendon injuries faster than those treated conventionally
with rest and graduated training. They also have fewer injuries
once they return to racing.
Approximately a third of all racehorse injuries are due to
tendon damage, and can sometimes leave a horse permanently
disabled. Of the 82 racehorses treated in the study, 80 percent
showed some improvement.
Even though stem cell treatments have not been thoroughly
tested in adults, patients are often happy to be research
subjects if they have a disease which conventional medicine has
been unable to cure. And with stem cell treatments in the news
almost daily, public interest is unlikely to abate. Hopefully,
this will help speed up results in this extremely promising
field, and give widespread relief for many diseases.
About The Author: J Schipper is interested in Stem Cells
http://www.stem-cells-now.info
http://www.life-extension-now.com http://www.youwillquit.com
http://www.anxiety-now.info
obtained from fetal or other tissues, show great promise in
treating many different diseases. Due to ethical concerns and
the difficulty of obtaining fetal stem cells, scientists are
trying to use patients' own cells instead. Stem cells derived
from the patient, also called autologous cells, are slightly
more specialized than the very primitive stem cells in fetal
tissue, but they are easier to obtain and certainly more
plentiful. Several studies indicate that these cells offer
great hope in treating disease. Using autologous cells
eliminates the risk of rejection, graft versus host reaction or
disease transmission and avoids ethical concerns.
Stem cells from embryos are pluripotent; that is, they can
transform into any type of tissue. Adults have stem cells in
various organs, but these are more specialized, and until
recently scientist were of the opinion that these cells were
only capable of giving rise to certain types of tissue.
However, as of late 2000, medical researchers have discovered
that small numbers of pluripotent stem cells can be harvested
from bone marrow, cord blood, and placentas. It even seems
that, under some circumstances, hematopoetic (blood-producing)
stem cells can be coaxed to grow into other types of tissue.
Autologous stem cells have been used for many years in patients
undergoing high-dose chemotherapy for cancer. Research shows
that in certain cases cancer can be more effectively treated,
and the risk of cancer recurrence dramatically reduced, by
treating it with higher doses of chemotherapy. These drugs
cause complete bone marrow failure, so before undergoing
treatment, cells are harvested and stored, then reinjected into
the patient's blood stream after chemotherapy is concluded.
These hematopoetic stem cells then settle in the bone marrow
and restore its function.
Umbilical cord blood contains blood stem cells that are even
more primitive than the blood stem cells found in bone marrow,
but not many people have their stored umbilical cords
available. However, cord banks are springing up in every major
city, and perhaps someday it will be routine to save the
umbilical cord of every baby born. Currently, the service is
fairly expensive, with clinics advertising online with fees of
approximately $2000 for the first year, and $125 for every year
thereafter. However, as the service becomes more popular the
price will almost certainly decrease.
Adipose (fat) tissue is a plentiful source of donor tissue
which has advantages over many other sources of
regenerative-capable cells such as skeletal muscle, bone
marrow, embryonic and fetal tissue. It is plentiful, easy to
access (unlike painful bone marrow extractions) and consists of
a mixed variety of cells useful in tissue regeneration, such as
adult stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells which can form
blood vessels, and other growth factor producing cells to
promote tissue growth and repair.
An animal study of the use of adipose-tissue stem cells was
presented at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics 2004
meeting in Washington D.C. by MacroPore Biosurgery, Inc.
(Frankfurt: XMP). The research showed that adipose
tissue-derived regenerative cells improved heart function
following myocardial infarction in a large-animal preclinical
safety study performed on swine. The results suggest that the
Company's proprietary, patented technology is safe and may be
useful in treating heart disease in humans. The adipose
tissue-derived regenerative cells were delivered into coronary
circulation without prior cell culture.
All 13 swine surviving to the 6-month follow-up period, and 2D
echocardiography showed a statistically significant improvement
in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at six-months
post-infarction in the treated group compared to a control
group.
Aside from experimental work on animals , autologous stem cells
are already being employed in veterinary medicine to treat leg
injuries in racehorses. The new treatment, developed three
years ago by Roger Smith and his colleagues at the UK's Royal
Veterinary College in North Mymms, Hertfordshire, requires bone
marrow stem cells obtained from the horse's own sternum. The
cells are then multiplied in the laboratory and injected into
the damaged area, where they regenerate tissue in the clefts
typical of these injuries.
Results show that racehorses treated with stem cells recover
from tendon injuries faster than those treated conventionally
with rest and graduated training. They also have fewer injuries
once they return to racing.
Approximately a third of all racehorse injuries are due to
tendon damage, and can sometimes leave a horse permanently
disabled. Of the 82 racehorses treated in the study, 80 percent
showed some improvement.
Even though stem cell treatments have not been thoroughly
tested in adults, patients are often happy to be research
subjects if they have a disease which conventional medicine has
been unable to cure. And with stem cell treatments in the news
almost daily, public interest is unlikely to abate. Hopefully,
this will help speed up results in this extremely promising
field, and give widespread relief for many diseases.
About The Author: J Schipper is interested in Stem Cells
http://www.stem-cells-now.info
http://www.life-extension-now.com http://www.youwillquit.com
http://www.anxiety-now.info
