Adult Stem Cell Therapy
Geron’s stem cell therapy makes use of the embryonic stem cells’ ability to create all of the cell types in the body including nerve cells. Scientists have, however, found that adult neural stem cells exist and appear to be a promising source of stem cells when observed in stem cell therapy in animal models. The discovery of neural stem cells in the adult brain, and the ability to differentiate neural stem cells from adipose tissue taken from the patient themselves offers enormous potential for developing stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and many others. Such stem cell therapy is a long way away from becoming standard practice however, as years of research into safety, efficacy, dosage, and comparison to current treatments will first be required. Trials into stem cell therapy for MS, diabetes, and SCI are currently recruiting, and many more are likely to follow, with this providing perhaps the best opportunity for patients who have had little success with conventional medical treatments.
Using Adult Stem Cells in Therapy
Recent discoveries regarding the location and behaviour of adult stem cells is particularly exciting to researchers who have faced many years of limitations on their ability to investigate the progression of particular diseases. Stem cell research in the laboratory can use stem cells taken from patients with specific diseases to study the development of such diseases in a way that has not been possible previously. Whilst this research may not lead to stem cell therapy for the disease itself, it may allow researchers to develop other treatments on the basis of the evidence from the stem cell research and disease development. Pharmaceutical interventions to encourage specific activity of stem cells in a patient may be one form of future stem cell therapy. Indeed, a significant amount of recent research has focused on the effects on stem cells’ proliferation and differentiation of gene expression and substances such as bone morphogenic protein and fibroblast growth factor with possible clinical applications.
Cosmetic Stem Cell Therapy
Some stem cell therapies are available in the US for those undergoing reconstructive breast surgery, breast augmentation, stem cell facelifts, or other cosmetic procedures. These stem cell procedures are restricted and should only be carried out by those with adequate training and experience; which is currently very few surgeons and doctors. The treatments are available due to a ‘loophole’ in current legislation which allows for minimally-processed stem cells taken from the patient themselves to then be transplanted back into the patient during the same procedure. In this way there is little risk of complications such as graft versus host disease, or tumor growth from uncontrolled cell proliferation. However, such procedures have not been studied or approved by the FDA and do still carry the usual risks of any surgical procedure, such as infection, anaesthetic problems, and things such as nerve damage associated with the liposuction techniques commonly used to harvest the stem cells from adipose tissue. In many cases the transplanted fat containing stem cells does not survive long after transfer, making the techniques only temporary, despite many unproven claims to the contrary.
Stem Cell Therapy Dangers
Recent research showing the recruitment of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into breast tissue in breast cancer also raises questions about the risks of moving stem cells into breast tissue, particularly where cancer stem cells may already exist. Long-term consequences of fat-relocation are unknown and the heavily marketed cosmetic procedures should be approached with caution. Similarly, stem cell therapy cream containing plant-derived stem cells is also heavily promoted but lacks any legitimate evidence of effect. A drink containing plant stem cells from ginseng was also launched in 2011 purporting to boost energy levels and encourage good health but with no serious scientific evidence proving any effect of such an ingredient.
Read More –> Overseas Stem Cell Therapy
