WHAT ARE STEM CELLS?
Stem cells are the foundation or building block cells for our bodies. The highly specialized cells that make our organ and tissues originally came from an initial pool of stem cells that formed shortly after fertilization process. Throughout our lives, we continue to rely on persisting stem cells to repair injured tissues and replace cells that are lost day by day, such as those in our skin, hair, blood, and the lining of our gut.
Stem cells can be broadly defined by two characteristics, sometimes referred to as the “cardinal properties of stem cells”: their capacity to self-renovation (divide in a way that generates more stem cells) and to differentiate (to turn into mature, specialized cells that make up our tissues and organs).
WHAT IS AN ADULT STEM CELL?
Adult stem cells, also known as tissue-specific stem cells, are present in adults, children, newborn infants and developing fetuses. Adult stem cells are more limited and specialized than embryonic stem cells. They have the ability to make just one or two kinds of tissue, such as blood and immune system cells, brain or muscle cells. Adult stem cells also have a more limited capacity to replace themselves than do embryonic stem cells.
WHAT ARE “INDUCED PLURIPOTENT CELLS” OR IPS CELLS?
Induced pluripotent cells (iPS cells) are non-pluripotent cells that were induced to become pluripotent, that is, able to form all cell types of the body. In other words, a cell with a specialized function (for example, a skin cell) was ‘reprogrammed’ to an unspecialized state similar to that of an embryonic stem cell. While iPS cells and embryonic stem cells share many characteristics they are not identical.
The generation of mouse iPS cells was reported in 2006, and the generation of human iPS cells at the end of 2007.
Typically, iPS cells are produced by inserting copies of three or four genes known to be important in embryonic stem cells using viruses into fully mature cells, such as skin cells or immune cells. Different research groups have used slightly different combinations of genes and different methods to get them into the cell. It is not completely understood how each of these genes functions to confer pluripotency and ongoing research is addressing this question.
iPS cells hold great promise for creating patient- and disease-specific cell lines for research purposes. A great deal of work remains before these methods can be used to generate stem cells suitable for safe and effective therapies.
WHAT IS REGENERATIVE MEDICINE?
The term regenerative medicine is often used nowadays to describe medical treatments and research that use stem cells (either adult or embryonic) to restore the function of organs or tissues. This can be achieved in different ways; first, by administering stem cells, or specific cells that are derived from stem cells in the laboratory; or second, by administering drugs that coax stem cells that are already present in tissues to more efficiently repair the tissue involved.
The goal of regenerative medicine is to repair organs or tissues that are damaged by disease, aging or trauma, such that function is restored or improved.
ARE TREATMENTS USING MY OWN (AUTOLOGOUS) STEM CELLS SAFE? WHY SHOULD THESE BE REGULATED?
While your own cells are less chances to be rejected by your immune system, this does not necessarily mean the cells are safe to use as a therapeutic treatment. The methods used to isolate, modify, grow or transplant the cells may alter the cells, could cause infection or introduce other unknown risks. Transplanting cells into a different part of the body than they originated from may have unforeseen risk, complications or unpredictable outcomes.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELL THERAPY?
As with any treatment, there are certain risks to stem cell therapy, including immune rejection of the cells used in treatment. Stem cells have the potential to divide many times and differentiate into many cell types, which is their great promise. Paradoxically, because of these abilities, stem cells also have the potential to form tumors. These potential risks dictate that both doctors and patients proceed with caution, and thus it is critically important that further research is conducted.
HOW DOES STEM CELL THERAPY WORK?
The biological task of stem cells is to repair and regenerate damaged cells. Stem cell therapy exploits this function by administering these cells systematically and in high concentrations directly into the damaged tissue, where they advance its self-healing. The process that lies behind this mechanism is largely unknown, but it is assumed that stem cells discharge certain substances which activate the diseased tissue. It is also conceivable that single damaged somatic cells, e.g. single neurocytes in the spinal cord or endothelium cells in vessels, are replaced by stem cells. Most scientists agree that stem cell research has great life-saving potential and could revolutionize the study and treatment of diseases and injuries.
ARE THERE ANY ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS OF STEM CELL THERAPY?
There are no adverse side effects were reported in Adipose Stem Cell Therapy.
DO YOU USE EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS?
No. Only adult mesenchymal stem cells are used. In addition to current legal limitations, embryonic stem cells are also associated with ethical considerations, tumor formation, and body rejection. Adult stem cells are not associated with any of these potential problems.
WHY DO YOU LIPOSUCTION FAT RATHER THAN BONE MARROW AS A SOURCE OF STEM CELLS?
Bone marrow collection can be a very painful procedure and only yields about 50,000 mesenchymal adult stem cells. These cells are then cultured over several days/weeks to arrive at a final count of a few million stem cells prior to injection back into the patient. Recent advances in stem cell science and cutting edge laboratory techniques have made it possible to obtain high numbers of adult stem cells from a person’s own fat. Stem cell counts vary from patient to patient, but we have never had a count under 10 million and average counts are well over 100 million stem cells. This is many times more than could ever be obtained through bone marrow extraction (even after culture).
HOW DO I KNOW IF STEM CELL THERAPY IS GOOD FOR ME?
Consult with our Stem Cell Therapy Expert, if you have any type of back/neck pain, arthritis, joint pain, any sports injury or if you suffer from any degenerative diseases. Stem Cell Therapy enables the patient’s body to use it’s own stem cells to heal and repair.
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF STEM CELL THERAPY?
Healing, repair and regeneration of injured or damaged tissue. It can regenerate tissues that are injured in neck and back spine injuries, meniscal tears, ligament tears, rotator cuff tear, tennis elbow and in degenerative diseases like arthritis and osteoarthritis. It decreases pain at the level of the injury and improves performance. The procedure is done in an office setting, under local anesthesia. This eliminates the risks associated with surgery or anesthesia.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STEM CELLS FROM FAT AND FROM BONE MARROW?
Adipose stem cells are collected via a Lipo-aspiration procedure ( NOT Liposuction) and bone marrow cells are aspirated from the hipbone. Bone marrow stem cells (mainly Hematopoietic Stem Cells) have a superior ability to repair and differentiate into connective tissue as well as blood vessels, a process that is essential for oxygen and nutrient delivery to the tissues.. On the other hand, adipose stem cells (mainly Mesenchymal stem cells) have far more regenerative properties to make ligaments, cartilage and bone.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT?
Once our medical team has received the medical application and all other requested medical records, it usually takes about 5 working days to review everything. As soon as the review is complete, we’ll contact you to discuss available treatment options. Once approved, a patient is scheduled for the earliest available appointment that is convenient for him or her.
HOW DO I KNOW IF THE STEM CELLS ARE INJECTED IN THE CORRECT PLACE?
At Giostar Stem Cell Hospital we know that the success of any treatment relies on having a reliable delivery system. All of our our injections are done under highly advanced and accurate Musculoskeletal Ultra-Sound Visualization system, to visualize the site of injury and provide an accurate and effective treatment targeted right at the site of injury and pain.
HOW SOON WILL I NOTICE IMPROVEMENT?
These Stem Cell treatments stimulate the growth and repair connective tissues requiring time. Typically, patients notice improvement after two weeks and continue to notice continual improvement months after the treatment.