Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell treatment and stem cell therapy may be considered controversial and are, perhaps, viewed as akin to science fiction by some people. However, stem cell treatments have been used regularly in veterinary practice since 2003 for the repair of bone and tissue damage, and have a wealth of research highlighting their efficacy in both humans and other animals. Stem cells are found in plentiful supply in embryonic tissue, but are also found in adult tissues. These cells have the ability to self-renew, giving rise to countless generations of new cells with varying abilities to differentiate into specific cell types. By introducing stem cells into an area of damage or pathology, the body can be encouraged to repair and renew regardless of how old the trauma is. Stem cells also show application for inhibiting the death of cells (apoptosis) through disease, making them candidates for use in treating degenerative illnesses such as Lou Gehrigs disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons disease and Alzheimers.

Stem cells from embryos are considered more flexible in terms of their ability to become either new liver cells, new neurons, new skin cells, and so on, whereas adult stem cells tend to be more restricted to the tissue type from which they were taken. New research is showing that this might not necessarily have to remain the case however, with the plasticity of adult stem cells now under investigation. Stem cell use carries little risk of the resulting tissues being rejected, it appears safe, efficient, and almost endless in its possibilities for application.

Potential Stem Cell Treatments

Conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury, and cancer, among others, are considered possible candidates for stem cell treatment. Cures for some of these diseases could be closer than previously thought with clinical trials already showing impressive results where stem cells have been used in cases thought intractable. The rapid rate of progression in research and clinical use means that some of the controversial issues, such as the use of embryos as a source of stem cells, have been overcome, with governments around the globe subtly altering their legal policies in order to accommodate new scientific advances. In the US, Bill Clinton was the first president to have to consider the legal issues surrounding stem cells, and subsequent presidents have been forced to readdress the issues time and again in line with medical discoveries. Worldwide, governments have remained generally cautious over the use of this technology but are gradually improving funding access, whilst keeping an eye on the ethics of stem cell treatment, in order to explore the tremendous benefits that appear possible. The credibility of research remains a concern, with some stem cell studies discredited by ethics committees after initial general acceptance of their veracity.

Stem cells may be garnered from living adult donors and, indeed, already are in the case of bone marrow transplants. More usually they are taken from discarded embryos leftover after IVF treatment, or from the placenta after birth. Previously the removal of stem cells resulted in the destruction of these embryos, but now it is possible for scientists to remove the stem cells without this occurring. This development negates some of the criticism faced by the technology from religious groups and ethical bodies over the sanctity of life and the attribution of sentience and autonomy to embryos, gametes, and the foetus. Clearly, some debate remains about these issues in relation to stem cell research, but recent improvements in methodology may remove the need for these considerations completely. Clinicians have demonstrated the possibility of taking adult stem cells and seemingly teaching them to become cells of a different type to their site of removal, effectively returning them to a similar state to that of the embryonic stem cell. Whilst stem cells from embryos remain more reliable and more economical to work with, the use of adult tissue-derived stem cells could revolutionize the research in this field.

As well as stem cell use in pathology and disease, there are also applications in personal aesthetics such as the regeneration of hair follicles and an end to baldness through stem cell treatment. Stem cells are also considered useful in regenerating the skin after injury, without the scarring usually associated with repair. There are reports of paralyzed patients becoming mobile after years in a wheelchair through the use of stem cells injected into the spinal cord, and the rapid disappearance of tumors in brain tissue after stem cells were injected.

Stem cell treatment provides an exciting possibility to change the face of modern medicine, alleviating pain and suffering, and improving the prognosis for millions withe diseases previously thought incurable.

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Source: Research by Tim Friend and Dan Vergano, USA TODAY By Frank Pompa and Julie Snider, USA TODAY

Although the general public considers stem cell therapy an innovative, cutting-edge treatment, the fact is that this kind of therapy already has a lengthy history. In the past, however, stem cells were difficult and very expensive to obtain. Luckily, the advent of improved equipment and techniques has meant that stem cells can now be acquired through a simple procedure.

If the area in question has an insufficient blood supply, this is termed an area of hypoxia, otherwise known as low oxygen content. Hypoxia areas can include the rotator cuff, the joints, meniscus tissue, and other spots with tendon injuries. Typically, these areas are unable to heal properly without help, as the body does not send enough repair cells to the afflicted areas. The inadequate supply of blood in these areas means that the body fails to sense the injury. Fortunately, we are generally able to treat the area, if the injury isnt severe, with platelet-rich plasma. This works by effectively mimicking a blood supply, allowing the platelets to sense the injury and release growth factors, which then prompt the body to send various stem cells to the area.

In most cases, 2 oz. (60 cc) of bone marrow aspirate is required. The aspirate includes platelets, mesenchymal stem cells, and other kinds of stem cells used in adult stem cell therapy. After aspiration, the bone marrow is placed inside a special container, which in turn is placed into a machine known as a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins the material at a high rate of speed, and this process separates the platelets and stem cells from the remainder of the blood products. It is this concentration of bone marrowcalled BMAC, or bone marrow aspiration concentratethat is reintroduced to the injured area during stem cell therapy.

Once this is accomplished, the platelets then release signal proteins and growth factors that activate the stem cells. Its important to understand that stem cells by themselves are unable to repair the injured area. These cells have to be properly directed, and platelets perform this function. In effect, stem cells are construction workers and the platelets are their supervisors. Once they are activated, these stem cells perform a variety of valuable functions. Apart from repairing damage to the injured areas, stem cells help damaged cells repair themselves and participate in the repairing process.

Generally, the repair process takes two to three months to complete, but in most cases improvement can be noticed before then. About four to six weeks after the stem cell injection, the patient receives a platelet-rich plasma injection on the afflicted area; this is followed by another injection four to six weeks afterward. These injections enable the stem cells to continue growth and multiply into cartilage tissue.

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The Truth About Adult Stem Cell Treatment

Ask about opportunities to participate in clinical trials at US centers in Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Nebraska and Atlanta. We are currently recruiting patients with diabetes, COPD, osteoarthritis, critical limb ischemia, and erectile dysfunction protocols using adipose derived stem cells. Contact 1-480-243-8859 or email info@stemcelltreatment.org to learn more about inclusion and exclusion criteria in these studies.

Update: Analytical Stem Cellis now offering culture expansion and cryo-storage of mesenchymal stem cells from adipose (fat) tissue. Your fat tissue can be sent to Bioheart Labs in Florida for expansion. Millions of cells can be grown and then frozen at extremely cold temperatures in liquid nitrogen. A lifetime supply of cells are available for future use as you need them.

The discovery of adult stem cell therapy has been a medical breakthrough because society has discovered how effective this method is in assisting a number of diseases. Adult stem cells are derived from a number of biological sources such as: blood, umbilical cords, bone marrow, muscle, placenta, fat, breast milk, dental pulp, and other sources. It has been found that these adult stem cells act as the bodys natural healing cells which are why they are used to heal a number of diseases that modern medicine is unable to remedy.

The best part about using adult stem cells is that there are virtually zero side effects. It has been used for over 40 years in the treatment of cancer, and research has shown that it has also been effective in the treatment of over 130 other diseases such as multiple sclerosis, autism, diabetes, and many other diseases and ailments.

Stem cells are a type of cell that can potentially develop into a variety of cell types within the body, depending if they fall into the category of either pluripotent or multipotent stem cells. There is a significant difference in these types of cells: the first one can grow into almost any other kind of cell within the body except the type of cell which is needed to support a fetus.

They can also develop into multipotent cells which serve as a type of repair system because as long as the host is alive, these types of stem cells can divide infinitely as long as required to repair and replenish other cells. Once a stem cell has divided, it may either remain as is but it also has the ability to become another type of cell.

Stem cells are effective in treating disease because of their unique ability in developing support to other cells in the body. They also work in our bodys tissues to repair any cells that need it. Apart from just curing disease, stem cell treatments have been effective in pain management as well as prevention. This makes stem cell treatment the most ideal and safe medical treatment which everyone should consider using.

The stem cell treatments doctors provide, allow your stem cells to aid in the regeneration of cells as well as specific organs which may be affected by degeneration, disease, or disorder. The stem cells also have the powerful ability of detecting damaged tissues, and targeting those tissues directly to help them repair, which can provide considerable improvement and benefit to a persons medical condition where other types of therapies fail to work.

Should You Consider Treatment With Stem Cells?

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Stem Cell Treatment – Analytical Stem Cell

A piece of a three-dimensional bone structure obtained from the own adipose stem cells of a patient is seen at Brussels' Saint Luc Hospital January 14, 2014. Belgian medical researchers have succeeded in repairing bones using stem cells from fatty tissue, with a new technique they believe could become a benchmark for treating a range of bone disorders. REUTERS

BRUSSELS -- Belgian medical researchers have succeeded in repairing bones using stem cells from fatty tissue, with a new technique they believe could become a benchmark for treating a range of bone disorders.

The team at the Saint Luc university clinic hospital in Brussels have treated 11 patients, eight of them children, with fractures or bone defects that their bodies could not repair, and a spin-off is seeking investors to commercialize the discovery.

Doctors have for years harvested stem cells from bone marrow at the top of the pelvis and injected them back into the body to repair bone.

The ground-breaking technique of Saint Luc's centre for tissue and cellular therapy is to remove a sugar cube sized piece of fatty tissue from the patient, a less invasive process than pushing a needle into the pelvis and with a stem cell concentration they say is some 500 times higher.

The stem cells are then isolated and used to grow bone in the laboratory. Unlike some technologies, they are also not attached to a solid and separate 'scaffold'.

"Normally you transplant only cells and you cross your fingers that it functions," the centre's coordinator Denis Dufrane told Reuters television.

His work has been published in Biomaterials journal and was presented at an annual meeting of the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science (IFATS) in New York in November.

Belgian Professor Denis Defrane, coordinator of the centre of tissue and cellular therapy of Brussels' Saint Luc Hospital, shows how a hole in the tibia of a patient suffering from a disease was treated on an x-ray, in Belgium January 14, 2014.

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Belgian scientists repair bones with new stem cell technique

Published:Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Updated:Tuesday, January 14, 2014 18:01

A new tool that could help facilitate future stem cell therapy has recently been identified by a UVM professor and his colleagues, according to UVMs College of Medicine.

The development of this tool could potentially help more than 700,000 Americans who suffer a heart attack each year.

Because stem cells have the potential to develop into a variety of cell types in the body, they may offer a renewable source of replacement cells to treat diseases, conditions and disabilities, and even regenerate damaged tissue and organs.

However, the field of regenerative medicine has struggled to successfully graft cells from culture back into injured tissue.

UVM Associate Professor of Medicine Jeffrey Spees, Ph.D., collaborated with the Center for Gene Therapy at Tulane University. His research team recently set out to develop ways to enhance graft success.

Dr. Spees and his team focused on a type of bone marrow-derived progenitor cell or biological cell that forms stromal cells or connective tissue cells.

They found that the medium contained Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) and the hormone insulin, and together, they have a synergistic effect, Spees said to UVMs College of Medicine.

The group found that the protective ligands resulted in improved graft success, breaking the record for engraftment.

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Newswise Ryan Zurakowski, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Delaware, is co-author of a paper appearing in Nature Medicine on Jan. 12 highlighting the role of T-cells in HIV.

The paper, titled HIV-1 Persistence in CD4+ T-Cells with Stem Cell-Like Properties, provides evidence that a particular T-cell type may help researchers better understand why HIV can persist despite treatment.

Zurakowskis co-authors include Mathias Lichterfeld, the papers lead author, and researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH); Ragon Institute of MGH, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University; the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University; Brigham and Womens Hospital; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Zurakowski explained that HIV treatments do not kill infected cells. Instead, they stop the infection of new cells, and rely on the virus itself to kill the infected cells. Unfortunately, some cells infected by the virus memory T-cells are not killed by the virus.

T-cells are a type of lymphocyte, or white blood cell, produced by the thymus gland, that actively participates in the bodys immune response. Memory T-cells can live for years, or even decades, providing life-long immunity to previously encountered diseases. They can form "quiescent" infections, which last for years, and cause HIV to rebound whenever a patient stops treatment.

During a decade-long study, the researchers discovered that not all memory T-cells are alike. A subgroup of memory T-cells, called "Stem-Cell Memory T-cells" (Tscm), are different, particularly in their ability to produce daughter cells.

The researchers were able to show that the HIV-infected Tscm cells in patients on HIV therapy decayed more slowly than any other type of T-cell. As a result, after 10 years of therapy, the Tscm cells represented 24 percent of the total HIV infected cell population, despite being only 1 percent of the total T-cell population.

This finding is significant, Zurakowski said, because it demonstrates that Tscm cells are the slowest-decaying portion of the HIV reservoir.

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T-Cell Finding Sheds Light on Why HIV Can Persist Despite Treatment

14 months after Stem Cell Therapy by Dr Harry Adelson for arthritis of the knee
Nona discusses her outcome 14 months after Stem Cell Therapy by Dr Harry Adelson for arthritis of the knee http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson

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12-Jan-2014

Contact: Jessica Studeny jessica.studeny@case.edu 216-368-4692 Case Western Reserve University

Geneticists from Ohio, California and Japan joined forces in a quest to correct a faulty chromosome through cellular reprogramming. Their study, published online today in Nature, used stem cells to correct a defective "ring chromosome" with a normal chromosome. Such therapy has the promise to correct chromosome abnormalities that give rise to birth defects, mental disabilities and growth limitations.

"In the future, it may be possible to use this approach to take cells from a patient that has a defective chromosome with multiple missing or duplicated genes and rescue those cells by removing the defective chromosome and replacing it with a normal chromosome," said senior author Anthony Wynshaw-Boris, MD, PhD, James H. Jewell MD '34 Professor of Genetics and chair of Case Western Reserve School of Medicine Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

Wynshaw-Boris led this research while a professor in pediatrics, the Institute for Human Genetics and the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UC, San Francisco (UCSF) before joining the faculty at Case Western Reserve in June 2013.

Individuals with ring chromosomes may display a variety of birth defects, but nearly all persons with ring chromosomes at least display short stature due to problems with cell division. A normal chromosome is linear, with its ends protected, but with ring chromosomes, the two ends of the chromosome fuse together, forming a circle. This fusion can be associated with large terminal deletions, a process where portions of the chromosome or DNA sequences are missing. These deletions can result in disabling genetic disorders if the genes in the deletion are necessary for normal cellular functions.

The prospect for effective counter measures has evaded scientistsuntil now. The international research team discovered the potential for substituting the malfunctioning ring chromosome with an appropriately functioning one during reprogramming of patient cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). iPSC reprogramming is a technique that was developed by Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, a co-corresponding author on the Nature paper. Yamanaka is a senior investigator at the UCSF-affiliated Gladstone Institutes, a professor of anatomy at UCSF, and the director of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) in Kyoto University. He won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2012 for developing the reprogramming technique.

Marina Bershteyn, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Wynshaw-Boris lab at UCSF, along with Yohei Hayashi, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Yamanaka lab at the Gladstone Institutes, reprogrammed skin cells from three patients with abnormal brain development due to a rare disorder called Miller Dieker Syndrome, which results from large terminal deletions in one arm of chromosome 17. One patient had a ring chromosome 17 with the deletion and the other two patients had large terminal deletions in one of their chromosome 17, but not a ring. Additionally, each of these patients had one normal chromosome 17.

The researchers observed that, after reprogramming, the ring chromosome 17 that had the deletion vanished entirely and was replaced by a duplicated copy of the normal chromosome 17. However, the terminal deletions in the other two patients remained after reprogramming. To make sure this phenomenon was not unique to ring chromosome 17, they reprogrammed cells from two different patients that each had ring chromosomes 13. These reprogrammed cells also lost the ring chromosome, and contained a duplicated copy of the normal chromosome 13.

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Nature study discovers chromosome therapy to correct a severe chromosome defect

one year after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson for an arthritic ankle
Jim discusses his outcome one year after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson for an arthritic ankle http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson

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one year after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson for an arthritic ankle - Video

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Contact: Sarah Dionne Sullivan ssullivan38@partners.org 617-726-6126 Massachusetts General Hospital

Although antiviral therapy against HIV suppresses viral replication and allows infected individuals to live relatively healthy lives for many years, the virus persists in the body, and replication resumes if treatment is interrupted. Now investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard may have found where the virus hides - in a small group of recently identified T cells with stem-cell-like properties.

"Most human cells are short lived, so it has been unclear how HIV manages to stick around for decades in spite of very effective antiviral treatment," says Mathias Lichterfeld, MD, of the MGH Infectious Disease Division, corresponding author of the report receiving advance online publication in Nature Medicine. "This question led to the hypothesis that HIV might infect stem cells - the most long-lasting cells in the body - but traditional organ-specific stem cells, even those that give rise to all immune and blood cells, are resistant to HIV infection. We have discovered that a new group of T cells, called T memory stem cells, are susceptible to HIV and likely represent the longest lasting cellular niche for the virus."

HIV has such a devastating impact on the human immune system because it infects the CD4-positive T cells that normally direct and support the infection-fighting activities of other immune cells. Several subtypes of CD4 T cells have different functions; and all are capable of being infected by HIV, although antiviral treatment keeps the virus in those cells from replicating. Most of these CD4 T cells are short-lived and die relatively soon. What is distinct about CD4 T memory stem cells is their ability to live for decades, while giving rise to several subgroups of T cells. Therefore, HIV-infected T memory stem cells could continuously regenerate new HIV-infected cells, fueling the fire of HIV persistence in the human body.

The MGH/Ragon team found that T memory stem cells express both CD4 and CCR5 - the receptor proteins used by HIV to enter cells - suggesting that these long-lived cells could be the long-sought HIV reservoir. They then found that these cells can be readily infected with HIV, which was unexpected since traditional stem cells resist HIV infection. Importantly, the investigators found that levels of HIV DNA in patients receiving long-term antiviral treatment were highest in T memory stem cells.

Testing blood samples that had been taken from patients soon after initial infection and several years later revealed that the viral sequences found in T memory stem cells after 6 to 10 years of treatment were similar to those found in circulating T cells soon after infection, indicating that HIV had persisted relatively unchanged in T memory stem cells. In addition, the amount of HIV DNA in these cells remained relatively stable over time, even after long-term treatment caused viral levels to drop in other T cell subsets.

"Our findings suggest that novel, specific interventions will have to be designed to target HIV-infected T memory stem cells," says Lichterfeld, an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Methods of inhibiting stem cell pathways are being studied to eliminate cancer stem cells - persistent cells that are responsible for tumor recurrence after conventional treatments kill proliferating tumor cells. We are now investigating whether any of the drugs that target cancer stem cells might be effective against HIV-infected T memory stem cells.

"Identifying the reservoirs for HIV persistence is a critical step toward developing interventions that could induce a long-term remission without the need for antiviral medication, or possibly eliminate the virus entirely," Lichterfeld adds. "Although a real cure for HIV has been elusive, it is not impossible."

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Study identifies population of stem-like cells where HIV persists in spite of treatment

Ryan White, CTV Calgary Published Friday, January 10, 2014 3:37PM MST Last Updated Friday, January 10, 2014 7:10PM MST

Alex Petric is hoping his part in an international clinical trial at the Foothills Hospital will assist researchers in the development of a treatment for spinal cord injuries.

Alex, a paramedic from Winnipeg, was paralyzed during a winter holiday in Panama with his girlfriend. The 28-year-old dove headfirst into what he believed to be deep water.

Immediately I felt paralyzed, right when I came up, recollects Alex. You just know youre in a lot of trouble. Youre trying your hardest to move your legs and its not happening.

Ten months after the accident, 29-year-old Alex is taking part in a medical trial to determine the safety of stem cell therapy on patients with spinal cord injuries.

While the trial, conducted by researchers from the University of Calgary, focuses on safety, the ultimate goal is to develop a cure for spinal cord injuries which could require multiple therapies.

The medical team, led by Dr. Steve Casha, will make a small incision in order to view Alexs injury. Once the precise location of the injury has been determined, then stem cells are injected above and below to potentially recreate the lost tissue.

The approach is regeneration, explains Dr. Casha, to reverse the damage that has been done.

Researchers and Alex are realistic in their expectations of the treatment despite the fact two previous patients in the study have regained sensation.

I just feel like I am part of something that could give people hope, including myself, said Alex. We don't know what will happen with this surgery. They're trying to fix us, basically trying to make us normal again.

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Calgary medical team attempting stem cell therapy on paralyzed man

Jan. 10, 2014 Harvard stem cells scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital and MIT can now engineer cells that are more easily controlled following transplantation, potentially making cell therapies, hundreds of which are currently in clinical trials across the United States, more functional and efficient.

Associate Professor Jeffrey Karp, PhD, and James Ankrum, PhD, demonstrate in this month's issue of Nature Protocols how to load cells with microparticles that provide the cells cues for how they should behave over the course of days or weeks as the particles degrade.

"Regardless of where the cell is in the body, it's going to be receiving its cues from the inside," said Karp, a Harvard Stem Cell Institute Principal Faculty member at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "This is a completely different strategy than the current method of placing cells onto drug-doped microcarriers or scaffolds, which is limiting because the cells need to remain in close proximity to those materials in order to function. Also these types of materials are too large to be infused into the bloodstream."

Cells are relatively simple to control in a Petri dish. The right molecules or drugs, if internalized by a cell, can change its behavior; such as inducing a stem cell to differentiate or correcting a defect in a cancer cell. This level of control is lost after transplantation as cells typically behave according to environmental cues in the recipient's body. Karp's strategy, dubbed particle engineering, corrects this problem by turning cells into pre-programmable units. The internalized particles stably remain inside the transplanted cell and tell it exactly how to act, whether the cell is needed to release anti-inflammatory factors or regenerate lost tissue.

"Once those particles are internalized into the cells, which can take on the order of 6-24 hours, we can deliver the transplant immediately or even cryopreserve the cells," Karp said. "When the cells are thawed at the patient's bedside, they can be administered and the agents will start to be released inside the cells to control differentiation, immune modulation or matrix production, for example."

It could take more than a decade for this type of cell therapy to be a common medical practice, but to speed up the pace of research, Karp published the Nature Protocols study to encourage others in the scientific community to apply the technique to their fields. The paper shows the range of different cell types that can be particle engineered, including stem cells, immune cells, and pancreatic cells.

"With this versatile platform, which leveraged Harvard and MIT experts in drug delivery, cell engineering, and biology, we've demonstrated the ability to track cells in the body, control stem cell differentiation, and even change the way cells interact with immune cells," said Ankrum, a former graduate student in Karp's laboratory. "We're excited to see what applications other researchers will imagine using this platform."

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Scientists control cells following transplantation, from inside out

Stem Cell Treatment for Arthritis

Mesenchymal stem cells have been shown in recent studies to have significant effects on a variety of conditions including both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. As the mechanisms behind these two forms of arthritic degeneration differ, the potential stem cell treatment for arthritis is likely to be administered differently and make use of a variety of properties of stem cells, such as their regenerative abilities, and the capacity for some stem cell types to help regulate immune function. Patients undergoing stem cell treatments for unrelated conditions have reported significant relief from their arthritis after such therapy even though this was not the reason for them obtaining treatment initially; these stories are anecdotal however, and do not constitute evidence for applying treatment more widely. Intravenous stem cell therapy using haematopoietic stem cells has been used extensively in veterinary medicine for a number of years. Often, stem cell treatment for arthritis in companion animals and race horses with signs of the condition (both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis) direct injections of stem cells into the damaged joint have proven effective at inhibiting the autoimmune attacks consistent with RA, reducing inflammation and pain in the joint, and supporting active tissue regeneration.

Stem Cell Treatment for Arthritis brings hope to millions suffering from arthritic conditions

The conditions under which stem cells are implanted appear to make all the difference between active regeneration and hypertrophy of joint tissue. Researchers are wary of the ad hoc use of stem cells for joint repair as it may be that the growth encouraged by stem cells may be adversely influenced by pre-existing pathology in an arthritis patients joints leading to exaggerated tissue growth that may further exacerbate the problems. Using a small number of chondrocytes alongside mesenchymal stem cells may make a significant difference in cultivating healthy cartilage repair without hypertrophy (excessive growth) occurring (Aung, et al, 2011).

A further study by Abedi (et al, 2010) appears to show that the use of scaffolding material alongside mesenchymal stem cell administration improves the healing process in induced articular cartilage defects in animal models (rabbits) in comparison to the stem cells alone. By encouraging differentiation into cartilage tissue types the almost universal progression of articular cartilage damage to osteoarthritis could, theoretically, be prevented using stem cell therapy. MSCs from osteoarthritis patients used in research has also led to the development of intelligent surfaces which can effectively prevent hypertrophy of such stem cells in the laboratory whilst facilitating cartilage regrowth (Petit, et al, 2011); further research in vitro is required to assess their use for therapeutic purposes however. A review of current research into synoviocytes and chondrogenesis has also highlighted a potential source of stem cells which may actively aid repair of avascular meniscal injuries that are otherwise unresponsive to treatment and commonly lead to osteoarthritis (Fox, et al, 2011).

Mesenchymal stem cells, which can differentiate into bone, cartilage, and a number of other cell types appear to hold great potential for easing osteoarthritis joint pain and possibly regenerating damaged tissue. However, MSC therapy alone is unlikely to address the systemic issue of autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis. Just as haematopoietic stem cells can help combat leukaemia, their use following myeloablation (the destruction of the bodys immune-forming cells in the bone marrow) looks promising for treatment of RA (Sykes, et al, 2005).

A study by Bhattacharya (et al, 2001) to test the safety of using umbilical cord blood for those with a variety of conditions found that the transfusions were well tolerated by all 62 of the patients and that the cord blood had the advantages of a higher oxygen carrying capacity, many growth factors and cytokines, and was also less likely to cause an immune reaction than adult whole blood transfusions. The study did not aim to assess the potential benefits of the stem cell treatment, only the safety of such procedures for those with rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis in the neck, ankylosing spondylitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, amongst other conditions.

The ability to derive stem cells from patients themselves is also opening up a whole new realm of possible treatments which do not require the use of human embryonic stem cells or cord blood stem cells which are less readily available and mired in some ethical controversy. Autologous stem cell transplants are also advantageous as they do not trigger an immune response causing rejection of the material in the body; immunosuppressant drugs are, therefore, not necessary. Jorgensen (et al, 2004) stated that mesenchymal stem cells appeared to be good candidates for the regeneration of arthritic tissue and that more research was required to assess their viability. This research has been carried out in subsequent years by a whole host of scientists such as Mao (2005), Gonzlez (et al, 2009), and Tyndall (et al, 2010).

Some studies have looked at animal models with induced rheumatoid arthritis and their reaction to mesenchymal stem cell transplantation. Across a number of studies the effects have been positive, with the Th1-induced autoimmune response down-regulated by the stem cell treatment. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells also decreased inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the mouse models and actively increased the production of antiinflammatory substance interleukin-10 in lymph nodes and joints. A, perhaps unexpected, benefit of human AD-MSCs was the de novo generation of antigen-specific CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg cells, which were then able to suppress those immune system cells which react against the bodys own tissue.

According to Passweg and Tyndall (2007), more than a 1000 patients with autoimmune diseases have been treated with haematopoietic stem cells between 1996 and 2007. Most of these patients had Multiple Sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, RA, or systemic sclerosis and many of those treated have enjoyed long-term disease-free remissions and immune reconstitution since treatment. Unfortunately, there remains a risk of treatment related mortality with such stem cell therapy as it relies on the destruction initially of the patients immune system in order to reset it with the infused stem cells and remove the autoimmune components. This temporarily opens the patients up to increased risks of infection which can be fatal. Improvements in patient care during the treatments have reduced this risk substantially, but it is still a major consideration, particularly for those otherwise doing well on conventional medications. Tyndall and Laar (2010) found that incomplete, low immunoablative intensity, early conditioning was related to patient relapse. This is most likely due to residual lesional effector cells; the patients faulty immune system effectively repopulated itself with self-reactive immune cells when only partially destroyed by initial myeloablative treatment.

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Stem Cell Treatment for Arthritis

The Regenexx Procedures are a family of non-surgical stem cell and blood platelet treatments for common injuries and degenerative joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis. These stem cell procedures utilize a patients own stem cells or blood platelets to help heal damaged tissues, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, spinal disc, or bone.

Regenexx Stem Cell and Blood Platelet Procedures offer a viable alternative for individuals who are suffering from joint pain, or who may be considering elective surgery or joint replacement due to injury or arthritis. Patients avoid the lengthy periods of downtime, and painful rehabilitation that typically follow invasive surgeries.

The list below represents the most commonly treated conditions using Regenexx stem cell or platelet procedures. It is not a complete list, so please contact us or complete the Regenexx Candidate Form if you have questions about whether you or your condition can be treated with these non-surgical procedures. The type of procedure used (stem cell or blood platelet) to treat these conditions is largely dependent upon the severity of the injury or condition.

The Centeno-Schultz Clinic is theoriginalstem cell based musculoskeletal practice in the U.S., with more stem cell orthopedics experience than any other clinic. We are also physician leaders in stem cell treatments for arthritis and injuries in terms of research presentations, publications, and academic achievements.

The episode features Dr. Centeno and Dr. Hanson, along with patient Barbee James, who required stem cell treatment after a failed micro fracture and continued problems following traditional knee surgery. The episode provided a nice overview of a Regenexx-SD (same-day) stem cell procedure for Barbees knee cartilage damage.

On February 28, 2013 Seattle King TV featured Regenexx patient Paul Lyon, who underwent a Regenexx-SD knee procedure in our Broomfield clinic. The story looks at his results and includes an interview with Dr. Christopher Centeno, along with footage in our advanced lab where stem cells are processed as part of the procedure.

Regenexx Network Physician Dr. Mayo Friedlis (Washington D.C. area) is featured in this recent news story about stem cell therapy, which explores the Regenexx-SD stem cell procedure and a very active seniors outcome following his knee stem cell injection.

Our Pittsburgh, PA. Regenexx Network Provider, Rehabilitation and Pain Specialists, was recently featured in a news story about treating a patients knee pain with stem cells. The patient returned to their clinic for this procedure after experiencing success with the stem cell treatment he received on his other knee.

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Stem Cell Therapy for Arthritis and Injuries | Regenexx Procedures

VAIL The Vail Symposium hosts Dr. Scott Brandt, Dr. Kristin Comella and Dr. Stan Jones who will lead an interactive discussion on the history, evolution, practical applications and clinical results around stem cell treatments Friday evening in Vail.

The program is part of the Symposiums ongoing Living at Your Peak series, which is dedicated to exploring new breakthroughs in medicine and helping people live healthier, more active lives.

This program fits perfectly with our Living at Your Peak series, said Tracey Flower, the Symposiums executive director. There is a lot surrounding this topic, and has been for quite some time. With recent research in a changing medical industry, it is a great topic to discuss.

An example of breakthroughs in stem cell therapy comes in the form of the record-shattering Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning. After failed surgeries, Manning traveled to Germany to undergo stem cell treatment on his cervical spine. At 37, Manning is playing his best football.

During this educational program, panelists will discuss the evolution of the stem cell field, explain current procedures, present research and clinical findings, and talk about the potential for stem cell applications in the future.

Join the Vail Symposium at 5 p.m. Friday at the Antlers Hotel in Vail for this event, titled: Stem Cells: The Future of Medicine is Now. Space is limited; reserve your tickets at http://www.vailsymposium.org/calendar or call the Vail Symposium at 970-476-0954.

More about the panelists

Dr. Scott Brandt: Brandt, the medical director of ThriveMD in Edwards, specializes in regenerative and restorative medicine. Brandt completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and attended medical school at Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He then completed his anesthesiology residency training and internship at the University of Illinois and Michael Reese Hospitals in Chicago. As a resident in anesthesiology, Brandt specialized in interventional pain management. Since 1997, this focus has kept him on the leading edge of medical innovations that provide longer lasting solutions for acute and chronic pain. The advancement of stem cell therapy, coupled with Brandts expertise in image-guided injections, has made joint rejuvenation an important part of his practice.

Dr. Kristin Comella: In 2013, Comella was named as one of the 25 most influential people in the stem cell field. She has more than 14 years of experience in regenerative medicine, training and education, research, product development and has served in a number of senior management positions with stem cell related companies. Comella has more than 12 years of cell culturing experience including building and managing the stem cell laboratory at Tulane Universitys Center for Gene Therapy. She has also developed stem cell therapies for osteoarthritis at Osiris Therapeutics. Comella has been a member of the Bioheart senior management team since 2004 and is currently serving as its chief scientific officer.

Dr. Stan Jones: Widely known for performing a ground-breaking stem cell infusion on Governor Rick Perry during a spinal surgery in 2011, Jones is a surgeon and stem cell expert. He received his bachelors degree from Texas Tech in Lubbock before earning his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. Jones continued his medical training at the University of Utah Medical School in Salt Lake City and a residency at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Jones was awarded a fellowship to study the lower back at Wellseley Hospital in Toronto, Canada. In addition, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corp as a Captain. He is licensed to practice in the state of Texas and is certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

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Learn about stem cell therapy and application at Vail event

Jan 09, 2014 by Jennifer Dimas

Chronic kidney disease in older cats is the focus of a fifth clinical trial under way at Colorado State University's James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where veterinarians are exploring novel stem-cell therapy that could, for the first time, hold promise for treating one of the most perplexing feline diseases.

CSU researchers seek area cats with the disease to participate in the clinical trial; cats with concurrent diseases are not eligible. For information about the trial and to determine eligibility for enrollment, visit col.st/1lB4KHf .

Studies suggest that about 50 percent of cats older than 10 suffer from chronic kidney disease.

Although the disease is very common, risk factors are poorly understood and it is tough to treat: Chronic kidney disease is considered irreversible, and treatment typically centers on slowing progression of the disease through supportive care, such as dietary changes, injected fluids and blood-pressure medication.

Yet in a pilot study last year, CSU veterinarians determined that stem-cell therapy could provide a new treatment option for cats. After preliminary results, the research team is further investigating the ability of stem cells to repair damaged kidneys.

Veterinarians are intrigued by use of stem-cell therapy for chronic kidney failure in cats because earlier studies demonstrated that the approach could decrease inflammation, promote regeneration of damaged cells, slow loss of protein through urine and improve kidney function, said Dr. Jessica Quimby, a veterinarian leading the CSU research.

"In our pilot study last year, in which stem cells were injected intravenously, we found stem-cell therapy to be safe, and we saw evidence of improvement among some of the cats enrolled in the trial," Quimby said. "In this study, we will further explore stem-cell therapy with the new approach of injecting the cells close to the damaged organs. We hope this proximity could yield even better results."

For the CSU study, the stem cells used have been cultivated from the fat of young, healthy cats; donor animals are not harmed.

The study will track cats with chronic kidney disease for about two months, with a variety of diagnostic tests conducted before and after stem-cell treatment to analyze kidney function.

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Researchers study stem-cell therapy for feline kidney disease

Stem Cell therapy for Cartilage Regeneration in Orthopaedic Surgery
Prof. A A Shetty and Prof. Seok Jung Kim, founders of Shetty - Kim Research Foundation were here at MediCiti to perform 5 stem cell therapy surgeries on 31st...

By: Mediciti Hospitals

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Stem Cell therapy for Cartilage Regeneration in Orthopaedic Surgery - Video

Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto/Corbis

Potential patients have offered vocal support for Staminas stem-cell treatment in Italy.

A series of damning documents seen by Nature expose deep concerns over the safety and efficacy of the controversial stem-cell therapy promoted by Italys Stamina Foundation. The leaked papers reveal the true nature of the processes involved, long withheld by Staminas president, Davide Vannoni. Other disclosures show that the successes claimed by Stamina for its treatments have been over-stated. And, in an unexpected twist, top Italian scientists are dissociating themselves from an influential Miami-based clinician over his apparent support for the foundation.

Stamina, based in Brescia, claims that it successfully treated more than 80 patients, mostly children, for a wide range of conditions, from Parkinsons disease to muscular dystrophy, before the health authorities halted its operations in August 2012. A clinical trial to assess the treatment formally was approved by the Italian government last May, and an expert committee was convened by the health ministry to study Staminas method and to recommend which illnesses the trial should target.

Stamina says that its technique involves extracting mesenchymal stem cells from a patients bone marrow, culturing them so that they turn into nerve cells, and then injecting them back into the same patient. But full details of the method have never been revealed, and Vannoni provided the full protocol to the expert committee only in August.

In October, the committees report prompted health minister Beatrice Lorenzin to halt plans for the clinical trial. That led to public protests in support of Stamina, and, after an appeal by Vannoni, a court ruled in early December that the expert committee was unlawfully biased. Some members had previously expressed negative opinions of the method, the ruling said. As a result, Lorenzin appointed a new committee on 28December, reopening the possibility of a clinical trial.

Staminas protocol, together with the original committees report, was leaked to the press on 20 December (Nature has also been shown transcripts of the committees deliberations). The leaked papers reveal that the original expert committee identified serious flaws and omissions in Staminas clinical protocol. It did not apply legally required Good Manufacturing Practice standards, the committee says. The protocol exposed an apparent ignorance of stem-cell biology and relevant clinical expertise, the report argues, as well as flawed methods and therapeutic rationale (see Protocol opinion).

What the expert committee said on Staminas methods.

The report of the original expert committee tasked with looking at Staminas clinical protocol includes the following opinions:

The protocol contains no method for screening for pathogens such as prions or viruses, even though the culture medium used could contain them.

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Leaked files slam stem-cell therapy

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) January 08, 2014

The top Phoenix stem cell clinic in the Valley, Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute, is now offering PRP therapy for joint arthritis relief. Platelet rich plasma therapy offers the potential for relieving the pain from knee, hip, shoulder and spinal arthritis. For more information and scheduling with the Board Certified Phoenix pain management doctors, call (602) 507-6550.

Platelet rich plasma therapy, known as PRP therapy, involves a simple blood draw. The blood is then spun in a centrifuge, which then concentrates platelets and growth factors for immediate injection into the arthritic joint. The PRP therapy then acts as an attractant for the body's stem cells.

Recent published studies have shown that PRP therapy offers significant pain relief for arthritic knees and helps preserve existing cartilage. One to three injections may be necessary to obtain optimal results, which are performed as an outpatient and entail minimal risk.

In addition to PRP therapy, the Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute offers several other regenerative medicine treatments for both joint and spinal arthritis. This includes bone marrow and fat derived stem cell injections along with amniotic stem cell rich injections. These injections are offered for patients as part of numerous clinical research studies.

The stem cell injection studies are enrolling now at the Institute. The studies are industry subsidized, with the procedures performed by the Board Certified pain management physicians.

The Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute is part of Arizona Pain Specialists. With 5 locations accepting over 50 insurances, the pain clinics offer comprehensive treatment options for patients with both simple and complicated pain conditions.

Call (602) 507-6550 for more information and scheduling.

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Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute Now Offering PRP Therapy for Joint Arthritis Relief

Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) January 06, 2014

The top stem cell clinic in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, Beverly Hills Institute of Cellular Therapy, is now offering revolutionary stem cell facelift procedures with a New Years pricing special. The procedure involves a nonoperative technique with amniotic stem cells performed by licensed providers. No incisions are necessary, and the outpatient procedures are being offered at 20% off regular price. Call (424) 253-5577 for more information and scheduling.

Traditional facelift procedures involve anesthesia, incisions and significant healing time. A stem cell facelift procedure is performed as an outpatient with no incisions or systemic anesthesia necessary. The Beverly Hills Institute utilizes amniotic stem cells, which are processed at an FDA regulated lab and have been used over 10,000 times without adverse events.

Stem cells have the capability to eliminate wrinkles and provide the skin with a more youthful, glowing appearance. The procedure allows patients to avoid the risks of infection and no stitches are necessary. It costs considerably less than a traditional facelift and now at 20% off is a great option for those desiring to look younger without going through separate procedures for each facial area.

As individuals age, the skin tone in the facial area and texture begin to decline. Stem cells are able to rejuvenate collagen deficient areas and have the capability to change into all types of cells in a procedure that is natural, affordable and safe.

Amniotic fluid is extremely rich in stem cells, growth factors, hyaluronic acid and anti-inflammatory cells. The combination works extremely well for the stem cell facial procedure, with results that are often noticeable quickly and long lasting.

This new technology is performed by licensed aestheticians, nurses and Double Board Certified physicians at the Institute. The procedure takes less than an hour to complete. In addition to the stem cell facelift, the Institute also offers stem cell injections for numerous musculoskeletal conditions including tendon and ligament injury along with degenerative arthritis. This includes stem cell therapy for knees, shoulders and hips.

For more information and scheduling to discuss options with stem cell procedures for looking and feeling younger while avoiding surgery, call the Beverly Hills Institue for Cellular Therapy at (424) 253-5577.

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Beverly Hills Institute for Cellular Therapy Now Offering Revolutionary Stem Cell Face Lift Procedure at Special New ...