In recent years, advancement in medical science is suggesting that stem cell therapy can treat almost any disease. Patients are eager to know the truth. Yet, most physicians are unable to provide a clear-cut answer. Laboratory testing, experiment, processing and use of stem and adult stem cells are probing new questions to patients.
Widespread information for stem treatment can be properly read on “The International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS)”. Cell therapy that has been certified by ICMS can be considered to be credible.
Virtue of Stem Cell Therapy
The use of stem cell therapies to treat various tissues or cure disease is subject to a case-to-case basis. This suggests that stem cells cannot be used to treat any type of disease. The method of adopting cell therapy to treat cardiac disease is completely different from one curing knee osteoarthritis. Many health institutions are focusing on perfecting their stem cell approaches to specific diseases. Thus, in reality when people refer to stem cell therapy as all-encompassing approach to treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson disease to knee arthritis, the state of technology is imperfect. Credibility of the cell therapies has not yet reached ostensible quality.
Various factors account for the success of stem cell therapies. The sources and types of cells do highly influence the outcome. Thereafter, the processing and delivery of these cells into the body does also play rudimentary importance in respect to the overall success as a clinical treatment.
1. Cell Sources
The stem cells that are used influence success of stem clinical trials. For instance, the stem cells can come from the same person (autologous) or from allogeneic sources. According to experts, autologous cells have a higher potential of bring successful results. They are much more robust compared to cells that might be available from donors. Autologous cells are more likely to be compatible to the patient. It is also true that allogeneic cells can pass on some defects that the donors have which might increase the risk of similar diseases.
2. Cell Types
There are cells that are more risky to use. For instance, embryonic and fetal stem cells have a greater risk of forming tumor. This does also apply for cord blood cells. In contrast to embryonic and allogenenic cells, we all have adult stem cells, which have already shown positive result in animal and clinical tests.
The adult stem cells are classified into mesenchymal stem cells (MSC’s) and CD34+ hematopoetic cells (HPC’s). These cells have been effective in treating cardiac and vascular diseases. The MSC’s are even showing positive result in addressing neurologic and orthopedics diseases.
3. Processing
There are different ways to process the stem cells. Some cells can be produced from bone marrow aspirate. In most laboratories BMAC (Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate) stem cells are used. They are not purely stem cells but a composite mixture. These sorts of cells are already yielding positive result on treating cardiac disease and type II diabetes.
The second phase of creating stem cells is to create an environment where the cells can grow. This is done by isolating cells for a short duration in an incubator while some growth factors are applied.
The third phase is for the culture expansion of the cell. The cells are literally duplicated for weeks until there are many of them. Many companies are performing the processing of stem cells successful an example is the “Israeli Company Theravitae”.
4. Delivery
It is not easy to deliver the stem cells into the animal or human body. Intravenous delivery is commonly used. However, adult stem cells tempt to end up in the lungs. Very recent studies suggest that when 200,000 cells are injected only 1 is able to reach in target, depending on illnesses being addressed.
It can thus be said that for stem cell therapy to be properly delivered the trap in the lung (pulmonary effect) decreases the potential of the treatment. Moreover, it is necessary to solve this stoppage to improve stem cell therapy. If cells are injected to treat cardiac diseases, the same shortcoming applies, only a few cells will be able to reach their intended region. The delivery phase of cell therapy requires more refinement and improvement.
The most comprehensive way to follow the progress of stem cell therapies, the annual survey conducted by” ICMS” could render valuable information. They offer concise data of the best and most credible cell therapies available around the world.
Source: Christopher J. Centeno, M.D.,
Thu, Apr 8, 2010
Bioscience, Stem cells