What is stem cell therapy and how does it work?

What are stem cells and sources?

Stem cells are special cells in the body that can divide in the ways that can produce many specialized cells they need during the first stage in development. They also function as an intrinsic healing system in many tissues. Unlike other cells, stem cells can self-renew for rather long time, do not undergo differentiation and can only do so when placed under specific conditions.

Types of Stem Cells

1. Embryonic Stem Cells

• Replacement stem cells can be harvested from early stage embryos.
• Stem cells known as pluripotent because they are capable of giving rise to almost any specialized cell in the human body.

2. Adult (Somatic) Stem Cells

• Residing in the body’s tissues such as, bone marrow, blood, fats.
• Bipotent, meaning that these cells are able to differentiate in a limited number of directions, namely those that are related to some of the cells in its tissue of origin.

3. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

• Grown from adult cells by forcing them to revert back to stem cells similar to those used in an embryo.
• Embryonic for example are pluripotent.

4. Perinatal Stem Cells

• Specified in amniotic fluid and in umbilical blood serum.
• These cells can be put into specific form of tissues or organs but are slightly less exhaustive as compared to embryonic stem cells.

Sources

1. Embryonic Sources

• Acquired from part of a blastocyst known as the inner cell mass.

2. Adult Sources

• Bone Marrow: It produces blood cells and immunity cells.
• Peripheral Blood: Has hematopoietic stem cells.
• Adipose Tissue: Contains mesenchymal stem cells meant for tissue engineering.
• Dental Pulp: Present in both, baby teeth as well as the permanent teeth.

3. Perinatal Sources

• Umbilical Cord Blood: They contain a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells.
• Amniotic Fluid: Has progenitor cells with the ability to transform into given types of tissues.

4. Laboratory Sources

• Reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cells obtained by means of the genetic modification.

Stem cells Interesting Facts

Here are some fascinating facts about stem cells that highlight their uniqueness and potential:

1. Stem Cells:

• The Niche Cells of the Body Specializing, they can further transform into over 200 varieties of cells fixing muscles and skin, nerves, and blood.

2. Stem Cells Are Used By Your Body to Repair Itself

• Adult stem cells are very important in natural repair and regeneration of day-to-day tissues such as the skin, blood, and the gastrointestinal tract.

3. Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord are a Valuable Commodity

• Umbilical cord blood is a vast, ethical source of hematopoietic stem cells that have the potential to cure diseases of the blood such as leukemia and sickle cell anemia.

4. iPSCs Won a Nobel Prize

• The iPSCs were developed by Shinya Yamanaka and got the Nobel Prize of 2012; iPSCs do not deal with ethical issues most of the time because they turn adult cells into stem cells.

5. Stem cells are used in regrowing body parts.

• Humans have seen stem cells being used in tissue culture to produce skin, corneas and even small organs called organoids for research and treatment.

6. They May Hold the Key to Aging

• It is established that stem cell aging is associated with exhaustion. This knowledge may have a potential for creating treatments aimed at making aging stem cells younger.

7. Cancer and stem cells share similar traits.

• Cancer stem cells are defined as a minor subpopulation of cancer cells that is capable of both prolonged cell proliferation and tumor maintenance. These cells are a main rationale of current cancer therapeutic strategies.

8. Stem Cells Can "Self-Renew"

• The stems cells can self-renew and are pluripotent, which make them apt for research and treatment processes unlike other cells in the body.

9. Your teeth hold hidden treasure!

• The teeth that children are born with, and the wisdom teeth, do contain dental pulp stem cells that may be useful for healing bone injuries, repairing cartilage, or knitting nerve tissues in future.

10. Stem Cells Could make Organ Transplants A Reality

• Other advances are focusing on Stem cell usage in 3D bioprinting to grow new organs as a way to completely do away with organ donations.

11. It didn’t take long to discover that they can cross species barriers.

• Researchers have encouraged human cells to grow in animal embryo, where they were taken from pigs or sheep, boosting chances of human organ transplant.

12. Stem cell tourism is thus now an emerging market.

• Stem cell therapies are a hotly debated subject in medicine because uncontrolled clinics around the world are currently providing untested stem cell treatments.

13. What is still considered a First Stem Cell Treatment dates back decades.

• Stem cell therapy called bone marrow transplants has been successfully used in order to save lives since the 1960s.

14. It turns out stem cells can be present in less obvious places.

• Besides BM and UCW, they reside in hair follicles, adipose tissue, and even the eye.

15. Stem cells are miniature human that have been grown in labs.

• Scientists conduct Neuroscience research by growing small brains known as brain organoids or mini-brains using stem cells.

Processing and Preparation of Stem cells

Stem cell handling and manipulation, to one degree or another, entails a number of procedures that are aimed at isolating, purifying and readapting stem cells to it of therapeutic, research and laboratory use. The method involves depends with the type and origin of stem cells to be used. Here’s an overview:

1. Collection

Embryonic Stem Cells

Source: Early-Stage Embryos

Method:

• Through rather a delicate process under the microscope, cells are extracted from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst.

• A subject identification process is common for this procedure and involves gaining approval from an ethics committee and observing many rules and regulation.

Adult Stem Cells

Source: Blood, bone marrow, fat, etc.

Methods:

• Bone Marrow Aspiration: A needle takes bone marrow from the hip.
• Peripheral Blood Collection: Offsets are administered injections of growth factors in order to promote the release of the stem cells and are then expected to undergo apheresis which is a blood process of separation.
• Fat Tissue: Liposuction during the extraction of fat also captures ASC.

Umbilical Cord Blood

Source: Collected after childbirth.

Method:

• Blood is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta in a sterile vessel, normally a basin.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)

Source: Gentle – adult somatic cells such as skin and blood cells.

Method:

• Cells are made to lose cell type specialization and become Master Cell which are genetically manipulated.

2. Isolation

Techniques:

• Centrifugation: This type sorts the stem cells depending on how concentrated they are.
• Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting (MACS): Engages the use of magnetic beads for separation of specific cell populations.
• Flow Cytometry: A technology that finds specific cells and separates them by placing fluorescent labels on them.

3. Purification

• To eliminate substances such as red blood cells, plasma or any other undesired cell population.
• Helps to achieve a very high centralized concentration of sorry stem cells.

4. Expansion

Purpose: They can be used to culture sufficient number of stem cells up to the therapeutic or research requirements.

Process:

• Maintaining cells in selective growth conditions and feeding them in specific forms of cultures.
• Including growth factors for the purpose of enhancing their proliferation without differentiation.

5. Differentiation (if required)

Purpose: To influence differentiation of stem cells into organs or organ systems as required (for instance neuronal or cardiac cells).

Method:

• Changing the cultural environment and adding certain factors growth factors cytokines or chemicals.

6. Quality Control

Testing:

• Viability: Having the policy of somehow maintaining a high percentage of live cells.
• Purity: Since centers have a great number of cells, unwanted cell types may sometimes be encountered or contamination can be checked.
• Potency: Testing the potency of stem cells, by their differentiation.
• Sterility: The process of eliminating microbial presence in cells.

7. Cryopreservation (Storage)

Purpose: Purpose of preserving stem cells for future use.

Method:

• Harms from cryopreservation are countered by using cryoprotective agents such as dimethyl sulfoxide abbreviated as DMSO.
• Kept in liquid nitrogen, the temperature of which is -196°C.

8. Thawing and Preparation

Thawing: Cells are brought gradually to working temperature in order to prevent most cells to crack.

Preparation:

• Removal of cryoprotectants.
• In suitable culture medium supplemented with glucose.
• To measure the effectiveness and applicability of knowledge before application.

9. Application-Specific Preparation

• Therapeutic Use: The stem cells are either being implanted into the patient; this is usually in the direct affected area (for example, bone marrow transfer or in situ injections for tissue regeneration).
• Research Use: For particular investigation where perhaps genetic manipulation or drug probes is to be conducted.

Stem cell Therapy Care

Stem cell therapy has therefore embraced a central branch of medical science whereby many diseases and conditions such as autoimmune disorders, degenerative diseases and injuries can be treated. However, as it is the case will virtually any other medical treatment, it is critical to approach the venture with precaution, supervise, and observe post-treatment measures for the treatment to work as expected and for negative effects to be reduced. Here's a detailed overview of the care involved before, during, and after stem cell therapy:

Pre-Therapy Care

• Evaluation and Consultation includes Medical History Review, Physical Examination, Imaging and Tests, Genetic Screening.
• Preparation for Stem cell collection or infusion includes Informed Consent, Pre-Therapy Medications, Dietary Restrictions

During Therapy

• Stem Cells Collection or Infusion

Collection:

• Autologous Transplants are transplantations from the patient’s own body and they can be done using bone marrow aspiration or blood sample.
• Allogeneic Transplants mean transplants from a donor hence the necessity of tissue typing to avoid rejection.

Infusion: Stem cells can be taken systemically through intravenous infusion, local injection into the organ requiring repair (for instance, the joints or spinal cord), or by other methods depending on the disease.

• Monitoring
• Immediate Monitoring: Frequent checking and evaluation of easy accessible parameters like pulse rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation more so after stem cell infusion.
• Handling Complications: Observing for any side effects that might happen soon such as rash or allergy, high temperature or pain.
• Post-Therapy Care
• Infection Prevention
• Monitoring for Side effects
• Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy
• Follow-up Appointments
• Lifestyle Modifications
• Medication Adjustments

Stem cell Treatment in India

With the new developments in stem cell technology, India has become famous for stem cell treatments throughout the world because of its highly skilled professionals in the medical science, affordable costs involved in the stem cell treatment, and legal provisions. Various eminent hospitals as well as research facilities based in India perform stem cell treatments for almost all types of diseases that include orthopedic diseases, neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune diseases.

Stem Cell Hospitals

• Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon
• Medanta-The Medicity, Gurgaon
• Fortis Memorial research Institute, Gurgaon
• Max Hospital, Saket
• BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi

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FAQ

1. What is Stem Cell Therapy?

• Stem Cell Therapy is any therapy for treatment or prevention of a disease or a condition which employs stem cells. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells which have potential to turned into special cells and heal damages tissues. The therapy can enhance the levels of repair, decrease the signs of inflammation, and enhance functionality of the organs/tissues.

2. What are the benefits of Stem Cell Therapy?

• Regeneration of Damaged Tissue: Stem cells are capable of either repairing or replacing the damaged tissues of organs like the heart, brain, liver and muscles.
• Treatment of Chronic Diseases: It has therapeutic abilities for illnesses for instance osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis alongside other degenerative diseases including Parkinson’ or Alzheimer’s.
• Reduced Pain: Stem cell therapy can treat joint pains and inflammation, common in osteoarthritis or joint injuries.
• Improved Function: Stem cells can act as a repairing tool in various organs and tissues and can convey movement or even quality of life.
• Minimally Invasive: One advantage of stem cells is that the injections are usually less invasive than the normal surgeries, hence less down time.
• Potential Cure for Blood Disorders: Something known as hematopoietic stem-cell transplants are done with stem cells for diseases such as leukemia, thalassemia, and sickle cell anemia.

3. What Diseases can be cured through Stem Cell Treatment?

• Orthopedic Conditions: Rheumatism, joint disease, cartilage disease, ligament, spine accident.
• Neurological Disorders: Cerebrovascular accident, cervical spinal trauma, Parkinsonism, disseminated sclerosis, senile dementia, spastic paralysis.
• Cardiovascular Disease: Myocardial infarction, heart attack, heart failure.
• Autoimmune Diseases: Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Crohn’s disease, Type 1 diabetes.
• Genetic Blood Disorders: Sickle cell anemia or sickle cell disease, thalassemia.
• Wound Healing: Chronic wound, burn and skin repair and healing.