The body has evolved ways to get rid of faulty stem cells. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Stem Cells shows that one of these ways is a "program" that makes stem cells damaged by radiation differentiate into other cells that can no longer survive forever. Radiation makes a stem cell lose its "stemness." That makes sense: you don't want damaged stem cells sticking around to crank out damaged cells.

The study also shows that this same safeguard of "programmed mediocrity" that weeds out stem cells damaged by radiation allows blood cancers to grow in cases when the full body is irradiated. And by reprogramming this safeguard, we may be able to prevent cancer in the aftermath of full body radiation.

"The body didn't evolve to deal with leaking nuclear reactors and CT scans. It evolved to deal with only a few cells at a time receiving dangerous doses of radiation or other insults to their DNA," says James DeGregori, PhD, investigator at the CU Cancer Center, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the CU School of Medicine, and the paper's senior author.

DeGregori, doctoral student Courtney Fleenor, and colleagues explored the effects of full body radiation on the blood stem cells of mice. In this case, radiation increased the probability that cells in the hematopoietic stem cell system would differentiate. Only, while most followed this instruction, a few did not. Stem cells with a very specific mutation were able to disobey the instruction to differentiate and retain their "stemness." Genetic inhibition of the gene C/EBPA allowed a few stem cells to keep the ability to act as stem cells. With competition from other, healthy stem cells removed, the stem cells with reduced C/EBPA were able to dominate the blood cell production system. In this way, the blood system transitioned from C/EBPA+ cells to primarily C/EBPA- cells.

Mutations and other genetic alterations resulting in inhibition of the C/EBPA gene are associated with acute myeloid leukemia in humans. Thus, it's not mutations caused by radiation but a blood system reengineered by faulty stem cells that creates cancer risk in people who have experienced radiation.

"It's about evolution driven by natural selection," DeGregori says. "In a healthy blood system, healthy stem cells out-compete stem cells that happen to have the C/EBPA mutation. But when radiation reduces the heath and robustness (what we call 'fitness') of the stem cell population, the mutated cells that have been there all along are suddenly given the opportunity to take over."

Think about it in terms of chipmunks and squirrels: reducing an ecosystem's population of chipmunks may allow squirrels to flourish -- especially if the way in which chipmunks are reduced changes the ecosystem to favor squirrels, similar to how radiation changes the body in a way that favors C/EBPA-mutant stem cells).

These studies don't just tell us why radiation makes hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) differentiate; they also show that by activating a stem cell maintenance pathway, we can keep it from happening. Even months after irradiation, artificially activating the NOTCH signaling pathway of irradiated HSCs lets them act "stemmy" again -- restarting the blood cell assembly line in these HSCs that would have otherwise differentiated in response to radiation.

When DeGregori, Fleenor and colleagues activated NOTCH in previously irradiated HSCs, it kept the population of dangerous, C/EBPA cells at bay. Competition from non-C/EBPA-mutant stem cells, with their fitness restored by NOTCH activation, meant that there was no evolutionary space for C/EBPA-mutant stem cells.

"If I were working in a situation in which I was likely to experience full-body radiation, I would freeze a bunch of my HSCs," DeGregori says, explaining that an infusion of healthy HSCs after radiation exposure would likely allow the healthy blood system to out-compete the radiation-exposed HSC with their "programmed mediocrity" (increased differentiation) and even HSC with cancer-causing mutations. "But there's also hope that in the future, we could offer drugs that would restore the fitness of stem cells left over after radiation."

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Reprogramming stem cells may prevent cancer after radiation

An experimental treatment that uses a patient's own stem cells may offer new hope for people with multiple sclerosis.

In a small clinical trial, patients experienced long-term disease remission after undergoing a transplant of their own hematopoietic stem cells. This type of cell is responsible for the formation of blood in the body and are typically derived from bone marrow. The patients also took high-dose immunosuppressive drugs.

The paper, published Monday in JAMA Neurology, reports on the third year of a five-year study. A total of 24 patients with active relapsing-remitting MS were enrolled in the trial. With this type of MS, patients have points when their disease is active followed by periods when they do not experience any symptoms.

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Dr. Jon LaPook goes inside the trial and approval process for an experimental treatment using stem cells designed to make Multiple Sclerosis pati...

The researchers found that nearly 79 percent of the patients who underwent the procedure sustained full neurologic function for the three years following the treatment and symptoms of their disease did not progress. Additionally, patients in that time period did not develop any new lesions related to their disease.

More than 90 percent of patients did not experience disease progression, while 86 percent did not have any periods of relapse. Though a small number of patients did have side effects from the immunosuppressive drugs, they were no different than the side effects typically experienced by MS patients taking the drugs who haven't undergone stem cell therapy.

"Longer follow-up is needed to determine the durability of the response," the authors write in the study. "Careful comparison of the results of this investigation and other ongoing studies will be needed to identify the best approaches for high-dose immunosuppressive therapies for MS and plan the next clinical studies."

The authors of an accompanying editorial say the research indicates this type of therapy has potential to work on patients who do not experience disease remission with medications alone, such as immunosuppressive drugs and anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids.

However, they add that "the jury is still out regarding the appropriateness and indication" of stem cell transplants for MS patients. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of MS. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society currently funds 15 research projects on stem cell therapies that have the potential to prevent disease activity and repair nerve damage.

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Stem cell transplant may help patients with MS

Experimental treatment kills off, then 'resets' the immune system

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Dec. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental therapy that kills off and then "resets" the immune system has given three years of remission to a small group of multiple sclerosis patients, researchers say.

About eight in 10 patients given this treatment had no new adverse events after three years. And nine in 10 experienced no progression or relapse in their MS, said lead author Dr. Richard Nash of the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver.

"I think we all think of this as a viable therapy," Nash said. "We still need to perform a randomized clinical trial, but we're all pretty impressed so far, in terms of what we've seen."

In multiple sclerosis, the body's immune system for some unknown reason attacks the nervous system, in particular targeting the insulating sheath that covers the nerve fibers, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. People with the more common form, called relapsing-remitting MS, have attacks of worsening neurologic function followed by partial or complete recovery periods (remissions).

Over time, as the damage mounts, patients become physically weak, have problems with coordination and balance, and suffer from thinking and memory problems.

This new therapy seeks to reset the immune system by killing it off using high-dose chemotherapy, then restarting it using the patient's own blood stem cells. Doctors harvest and preserve the patient's stem cells before treatment, and re-implant them following chemotherapy.

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Stem Cell Therapy for MS Shows Promise

Stem cells grown under low oxygen. These stem cells from Stemedica are licensed to CardioCell.

Dr. David Gorski, a prominent skeptic of therapies offered outside the scientifically controlled clinical trial system, has published an extensive and critical look at the stem cell therapy Gordie Howe received in early December to help him recover from a serious stroke.

I had email exchanges with Gorski while writing my article last week on the treatment, which uses stem cells provided by San Diego-based Stemedica. Gorski, whose previous blog post at Science-Based Medicine on Howe's treatment caught my attention, follows through with an analysis of the clinical trial setup used by Novastem, a Mexican stem cell company licensed by Stemedica to use its cells.

Dr. Murray Howe and his hockey great father, Gordie Howe, on a fishing trip in Saskatchewan in 2013. / Courtesy Murray Howe

"As sympathetic as I am to the Howe family, Im sorry. I reluctantly have to say that Murray Howe really should know better," Gorski wrote. "If Gordie Howe was treated as part of a clinical trial, then Novastem should have treated him for free! Thats because if it is running a clinical trial, it should treat everyone on the trial for free. Thats the way its done ethically."

I asked Novastem president Rafael Carrillo about the financial issue for my article. Carrillo said Novastem doesn't have deep pockets like a big pharmaceutical company, so it needs to charge for the treatment to pay its expenses. Without that money, it can't afford the trial. Patients wouldn't get the opportunity to get care that could help them, Carrillo said. Moreover, this arrangement is legal under Mexican law.

Gorksi views this as unethical, even if it's legal. He objects to the free treatment given to Gordie Howe, because it amounts to publicity for Novastem that will attract paying customers. And even if Howe is doing better, as appears to be the case, it's not possible to tell definitively whether stem cells helped.

The U.S. system has its own flaws, Gorski says, because patient expenses not related to the clinical trial are not paid for.

"Patients who dont have health insurance will often have a huge difficulty paying for their care not related to the clinical trial and thus will have difficulties accessing cutting-edge clinical trials because they cant pay for their own regular care," Gorski wrote. "Yay, USA!"

Stemedica is offering its own U.S. trial of the therapy, but people must have had the stroke at least six months ago. That's because people make the most improvement within six months after a stroke. So delaying treatment until after that point will make it easier to detect improvement caused by the stem cell treatment.

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More about Gordie Howe's therapy

Spinal cord injuries are devastating, leaving the person injured facing a life time of challenges, and placing a huge strain on their family and loved ones who help care for them.

The numbers affected are not small. More than a quarter of a million Americans are living with spinal cord injuries and there are more than 11,000 new cases each year.

Its not just a devastating injury, its also an expensive one. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center it can cost more than $775,000 to care for a patient in the first year after injury, and the estimated lifetime costs due to spinal cord injury can be as high as $3 million.

Right now there is no cure, and treatment options are very limited. We have heard for several years now about stem cell research aimed at helping people with spinal cord injuries, but where is that research and how close are we to testing the most promising approaches in people?

Thats going to be the focus of a Google Hangout on Spinal Cord Injury and Stem Cell Research that we are hosting tomorrow, Tuesday, November 18 from noon till 1pm PST.

Well be looking at the latest stem cell-based treatments for spinal cord injury including work being done by Asterias Biotherapeutics, which was recently given approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start a clinical trial for spinal cord injury. We are giving Asterias $14.3 million to carry out that trial and you can read more about that work here.

Were fortunate in having three great guests for the Hangout: Jane Lebkowski, Ph.D., the President of research and development at Asterias; Roman Reed, a patient advocate and tireless champion of stem cell research and the founder of the Roman Reed Foundation; and Kevin Whittlesey, Ph.D., a CIRM science officer, who will discuss other CIRM-funded research that aims to better understand spinal cord injury and to bring stem cell-based therapies to clinic trials.

You can find out how to join the Hangout by clicking on the event page link: http://bit.ly/1sh1Dsm

The event is free and interactive, so youll be able to ask questions of our experts. You dont need a Google+ account to watch the Hangout just visit the event page at the specified time. If you do have a G+ account, please RSVP at the event page (link shown above). Also, with the G+ account you can ask questions in the comment box on this event page. Otherwise, you can tweet questions using #AskCIRMSCI or email us at info@cirm.ca.gov.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Spinal cord injury and stem cell research; find out the ...

Here are some stem cell stories that caught our eye this past week. Some are groundbreaking science, others are of personal interest to us, and still others are just fun. Reminding broken hearts how to mend them selves. After years of tracking down the right genetic buttons a team at the Salk Institute in La Jolla has taught a mammal to do what zebra fish do naturally, repair a severely damaged heart. While all our cells have the genetic code for building whole organs those genes seem to be switched off in all higher animals, but active in some more primitive species like zebra fish and salamanders.

New cells (red) repairing injury in a zebra fish heart.

When, with CIRM funding, they inserted genetic signals to turn off those genes in the mice, they saw significant repair of the damaged heart. There are many steps between this advance and getting human hearts to repair them selvesnotably finding a way to introduce the genetic signals without using the virus used in this study. HealthCanal picked up the institutes press release.

Cloned stem cells pretty much like reprogrammed stem cells. In the early days of stem cell research there was a great deal of excitement about the possibility of creating stem cells that genetically match a patient by a process commonly called cloning. This process of taking the genetic storehouse of a cell, the nucleus, and inserting it into a donor egg had been relatively easy in mice. But it turned out quite difficult in humans and was only accomplished last year.

During the years of failed attempts at this process known as nuclear transfer in humans an alternative came into the field. The Nobel prize-winning discovery that you can reprogram any adult cell to act like an embryonic stem cell gave us a new way to create personalized stem cells that genetically match a patient. But ever since that 2008 advance, the research community has fretted over whether those new stem cells called iPS cells really match embryonic stem cells. The iPS cells came from older cells that had lived through many opportunities for mutation and the genetic factors used to reprogram them added further opportunities for mutation.

Researchers at the New York Stem Cell Foundations in house lab have now compared the two types of cells with several layers of genetic analysis. They found the same level of mutation in the iPS cells and the cells from nuclear transfer lending some reassurance to the use of iPS cells going forward. HealthCanal ran the foundations press release.

A more efficient way to make cloned stem cells. Even though a team in Oregon overcame the obstacles to creating stem cells by nuclear transfer last year, and the feat has been repeated by the New York team above and others, it remains terribly inefficient. So, several groups are working on better ways to make these potentially valuable cells.

A former colleague now at Childrens Hospital, Boston wrote a nice explanation of how researchers are going about making these cloned cells easier in the hospitals blog, Vector. Stem cells reduced seizures. The seizures endured by people with many forms of epilepsy originate from genetic defects in their nerves. So, a team at McClean Hospital outside of Boston implanted healthy nerves grown from embryonic stem cells in mice with genetically linked seizures. Half the mice no longer had seizures and the other half had their seizure frequency reduced.

The type of nerves transplanted are called interneurons, which are known to be the nerves that reduce firing of signals. In epilepsy nerve signals are hyperactive. The team is now working on methods to mature the stem cells into purer populations of just the desired interneurons. ClinicalSpace picked up the hospitals press release.

Don Gibbons

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Stem cell stories that caught our eye: heart repair ...

First it was stem cells from rare apples touted as a revolution in anti-aging skin care. Then every other plant (seller) decided to get into the game. So is it true, or is it a con? Can stem cells from plants benefit your skin, and if so how? Is stem cell just a buzz word that unscrupulous marketers use to dupe you into thinking they are scientifically on the leading edge?

Plant Stem Cell Basics

A fertilized ovum (egg) is the ultimate stem cell. Every animal and plant that reproduces sexually begins as a fertilized ovum, with half of its genetic material contributed by the male parent and half from the female parent. In the case of flowering plants, structures within the flower play both roles. Pollen from the stamen is the equivalent of animal sperm and the pistol is the female receptive organ. A stem cell with the ability to repeatedly sub-divide and eventually differentiate into all types of cells found within an individual animal or plant is termed totipotential.

In the animal kingdom, a fertilized ovum divides, creating daughter totipotential stem cells, for only about four days. Daughter cells subsequently differentiate into pluripotential stem cells, which can differentiate into different various types of cells, but not all types. Plants, on the other hand, have totipotential stem cells throughout their life. These cells can develop into a complete adult plant.

Totipotential plant stem cells exist in very small numbers and are found in highly specialized tissues, structures called meristems. Meristems exist in root and shoot sprouts and are the cells from which all other plant cells and structures originate. Every root and stem shoot tip contains a very small number of these extraordinarily important cells. Meristems in shoot sprouts are called apical meristems, and those on the tips of roots are called root meristems. Remove the meristem and all growth in that part of the plant ceases.

Meristem stem cells are under external control and respond to local humoral factors from adjacent cells (quiescent cells) as well as more systemic plant hormones called cytokinin and auxin. Apical and root meristems have different specific, but complementary, controlling mechanisms. Generally speaking, hormonal influences that make an apical meristem grow may be inhibitory to root meristems, and vice versa. It is an intricately coordinated process in which stem cell activity is very tightly controlled and the number of totipotential stem cells is maintained at a very sparse population in comparison to the total plant cellular number.

Of paramount interest for this discussion is the fact that both apical and root meristems have control systems that act upon them, which are controlled by the needs of the entire plant. Without these outside influences, the cells in the meristem do not divide to produce daughter cells. While indispensable for plant growth, meristem stem cells are incapable of function without external influences dictating their response. These cells are followers, not leaders.

The photos show the relative size of structures within the meristem regions of a growing plant.

In the first photo (at right), the stem cells within the root meristem and adjacent quiescent cells are colored blue. The root meristem is also extremely tiny, consisting of only a few, albeit very important cells.

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Botanical Stem Cells in Skin Care | BareFacedTruth.com

Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) December 29, 2014

Top Las Vegas pain management clinic, Nevada Pain, is now providing over ten effective knee arthritis treatments. New treatments include regenerative medicine therapies such as PRP and stem cell therapy. Call (702) 323-0553 for more information and scheduling.

Knee arthritis affects tens of millions of Americans, often leading to significant disability. This may make it difficult to participate in recreational activities or play with one's kids or grandkids. While a total joint replacement typically has excellent outcomes, there are potential serious complications. Therefore, the procedure should be avoided or delayed until all other options have been attempted.

Nevada Pain offers the latest, cutting edge options for knee arthritis relief. This includes platelet rich plasma therapy, known as PRP therapy, along with stem cell therapy. The stem cell therapy is offered with either bone marrow derived stem cells or amniotic derived stem cells.

Additional treatments for knee arthritis include cortisone injections, which have been a gold standard for decades. They may provide months of consistent pain relief. Hyaluronic acid injections into the arthritic knee have been shown to offer six to twelve months of pain relief to most individuals.

Knee bracing is also offered along with TENS units, physical rehabilitation, pain medications and topical pain creams. Success rates are impressive for achieving pain relief and avoiding knee surgery.

Along with treating knee arthritis pain, Nevada Pain offers therapies for all types of back and neck pain, sciatica, scoliosis, neuropathy, RSD, spinal stenosis and much more. Treatment is offered by Board Certified, Award Winning providers.

Most insurance is accepted and there are multiple locations in the greater Las Vegas area. Call (702) 323-0553 for more information and scheduling.

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Las Vegas Pain Management Clinic, Nevada Pain, Now Offering Over Ten Effective Treatments for Knee Arthritis with ...

TIME Science fertility Scientists Use Skin Cells to Create Artificial Sperm and Eggs Getty Images The feat could help patients with fertility problems

British scientists from Cambridge have succeeded in using skin cells to create primitive forms of artificial sperm and eggs.

The feat could transform fertility treatment and our understanding of age-related diseases, the Guardian reports.

Scientists created the early sex cells by culturing human embryonic stem cells for five days in controlled conditions.

They then showed that by following the same procedure they could convert adult skin tissue into early-stage sperm and eggs, raising the likelihood of using sex cells that genetically match a patient undergoing IVF treatment.

The scientists believe these cells have the potential could grow into mature sperm and eggs, something that has never been done in a lab before.

[The Guardian]

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Scientists Use Skin Cells to Create Artificial Sperm and Eggs

ARTAS FUE Hair Transplant with Stem Cell Therapy at 1 year post-op
Amazing results after a FUE hair transplant by Dr. Yates with 2000 grafts using the newest ARTAS Robotic technology and newest therapy for hair restoration - Stromal Vascular Fraction Fat Transfer....

By: William Yates

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ARTAS FUE Hair Transplant with Stem Cell Therapy at 1 year post-op - Video

The competition for Maryland's stem cell research grants will be stiffer than ever as applications flood in next month, forcing officials to be more selective even as scientists worry that the state's fiscal problems and a new administration in Annapolis may mean smaller budgets in the future.

The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission received a record 240 letters declaring intent to apply for $10.4 million in grants, officials said this month. While the majority came from researchers, more than a dozen came from startups and other companies and half a dozen for work testing therapies on humans proof that the 8-year-old program is boosting the state's biotechnology industry, officials said.

But that also means the state likely will reject more applications for the grants than in previous years. And with no funding promises from Gov.-elect Larry Hogan and state budget cuts looming, researchers worry there will be less to go around in 2016 and beyond.

The uncertainty comes just as advancements in stem cell science are making more research possible, threatening progress in Maryland even as other states surge forward, researchers said.

"In California, they have $3 billion. Here, we have $10 million a year. It is very hard," said Ricardo Feldman, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "Not all of us who have exciting results are going to get it, and some of us who do not get funding will not be able to continue what we started, and that will be very sad."

At an annual symposium on state-funded stem cell research this month, state stem cell commission officials said they received letters of intent from a record 16 companies as well as seven proposals for clinical work and 144 proposals for "translational" work research that aims to turn basic science into viable therapies. Applications are due Jan. 15.

Historically, the awards have gone more for university research and projects that are still at least a few steps away from being used in hospitals, but the surge in commercial and clinical work is a product of the state's long-term commitment to the grants, said Dan Gincel, the stem cell research fund's executive director.

The grants help research projects advance to a stage where they can attract backers like drug companies or other for-profit investors, who are more discriminating in the projects they support since many end up going nowhere.

"A long-term commitment is extra important for something so high-risk," Gincel said. "You gain trust that this is going somewhere."

There aren't many investors for researchers to turn to early on, said Jennifer Elisseeff, a professor of biomedical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University who has been part of teams receiving $920,000 in state grants over the past two years. She and colleagues are exploring how to stimulate stem cells to regrow tissues, a project she called "kind of basic science-y but also very applied."

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Record competition for stem cell grants means tough choices for state officials

Hard road: Cooper Densley gets a kiss from mother Olivia as brothers Jackson (left), and Fletcher play around him with father Andrew (right). Photo: Simon O'Dwyer

Santa Claus delivered some wonderful gifts to Cooper Densley this year, but none of them compare to one he received from his brother Jackson in October.

In a potentially life-saving exchange, Jackson Densley, 2, donated stem cells found in his bone marrow to his older brother Cooper, 4, three months ago.

Their parents,Oliviaand AndrewDensley, are hoping the transplant will help cure Cooper of a rare genetic condition he was diagnosed with last year: Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome.

The disorder weakens the immune system, leaving sufferers vulnerable to infections, and it reduces the production of platelets - blood cells that keep bleeding under control.

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It means children suchasCooper can get extremely sick from common coughs and colds and a knock to the head while playing sport could trigger fatal bleeding in the brain.

The only known treatment is a stem cell transplant which can be derived from bone marrow or umbilical cord blood from a healthy donor whose tissue matches that of the recipient. When those cells are put in to the recipient's bloodstream, they can develop into normal immune cells and platelets.

Without a donation, the average life expectancy for people with the condition is 15 to 20 years.

Shortly after Mr and MrsDensleywere told about Cooper's diagnosis in 2013, MrsDensleyfell pregnant with their fifth baby, prompting hope blood from their newborn's umbilical cord could provide stem cells for Cooper.

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Brother's transplant holds the gift of life for Densley family

CORDLIFE is now the largest network of private cord blood banks in Asia Pacific with state-of-the-art cord-blood and tissue processing and cryopreservation facilities in the country.

Once considered a medical waste, the blood left in the umbilical cordthe part of the placenta that delivers nutrients to a fetusafter a baby is delivery is now known to be a rich source of blood-forming stem cells.

These cells have been found to be potentially useful in treating diseases that require stem cell transplants (also called bone marrow transplants) such as certain kinds of leukemia or lymphoma, aplastic anemia (a blood disorder in which the bodys bone marrow doesnt make enough new blood cells), severe sickle cell disease and severe combined immunodeficiency.

Unlike with bone marrow, which is obtained through a painful medical procedure, there is only one chance to collect this seemingly precious stuff: immediately after the babys birth.

This is why a number of expectant parents in the country are being offered a chance to save stem cells from their babys umbilical cord blood via what is known as cord-blood banking.

Safeguard

Cordlife Philippines medical director Arvin Faundo said: Its a type of safeguard because the genetically unique stem cells have current and potential uses in medical treatment. No parent wishes his/her child to experience the heartbreaking effects of any illness. What we at Cordlife offer them is the chance to prepare for potential eventualitiesto secure the future well-being and happiness of their family.

Cordlife Philippines is a subsidiary of Cordlife Group Ltd., a company listed on the Singapore Exchange. Launched in February 2010 as the Philippines first and only cord-blood processing and cryopreservation facility, its facility was ISO-certified and built in accordance to global gold standards such as the American Association of Blood Banks.

The 365-day facility, located within UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub in Quezon City, is equipped with the worlds most advanced fully automated cord-blood processing system, the Swiss-made Sepax.

CordLife uses the US FDA-approved cryogenic storage pouch.

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Freezing newborns own stem cells for possible future use

Dr. Murray Howe and his hockey great father, Gordie Howe, on a fishing trip in Saskatchewan in 2013.

Hockey legend Gordie Howe is making a dramatic recovery from a serious stroke thanks to stem cell therapy developed by San Diego-based Stemedica, his family says. Some medical scientists aren't so sure, however.

Howe, 86, suffered the stroke in late October, leaving him unable to walk and disoriented. He began improving within hours after receiving the stem cells in early December, said Dr. Murray Howe, a radiologist and one of Howes sons. For example, Howe insisted on walking to the bathroom, which he previously could not do.

"If I did not witness my father's astonishing response, I would not have believed it myself," Murray Howe said by email Thursday. "Our father had one foot in the grave on December 1. He could not walk, and was barely able to talk or eat."

"Our father's progress continues," the email continued. "Today, Christmas, I spoke with him on FaceTime. I asked him what Santa brought him. He said 'A headache.' I told him I was flying down to see him in a week. He said, 'Thanks for the warning.'"

Howe is receiving speech and physical therapy at his home in Lubbock, Texas, and his therapists say he is much better than before receiving the stem cells.

Howe received the treatment from Novastem, a Mexican stem cell company that has licensed the use of Stemedica's cells for clinical trials approved by the Mexican government. Howe was given neural stem cells to help his brain repair damage, and stem cells derived from bone marrow to improve blood circulation in the brain. The procedure took place at Novastem's Clinica Santa Clarita in Tijuana.

Such use of unproven stem cell therapies outside the U.S. clinical trial system draws objections from some American health care professionals. They warn of the potential for abuse, say there's a lack of rigorous scientific standards, and call for tighter federal regulation of the proliferation of stem cell treatments.

Nevertheless, patients with ailments that don't response to approved treatments continue to seek such care. These patients and families say they have the right to make their own judgments. And they may not have time to wait for proof, so they're willing to take a chance.

Stemedica says it follows U.S. government law, and requires those licensing its stem cells in foreign countries to obey the laws of those countries.

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Did stem cells really help Gordie Howe?

British scientists have been successful in creating primitive forms of artificial sperms and eggs from human skin cells, marking an achievement that could not only transform the understanding of age- and sex-related diseases but also come as a boon for infertile couples, according to media reports. The breakthrough comes two years after scientists in Japan successfully demonstrated the technique by creating baby mice from stem cells.

The scientists from the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, working in collaboration with the Weizmann Institute in Israel, initially created the primordial germ cells normally found within testes and ovaries using human embryonic stem cells cultured in carefully controlled conditions. After initial success, the researchers reportedly replicated the procedure using adult cells extracted from human skin.

This is the first step in demonstrating that we can make primordial germ cells without putting them into patients to verify they are genuine, Azim Surani of the University of Cambridge, reportedly said. Its not impossible that we could take these cells on towards making gametes (fully developed male and female sex cells), but whether we could ever use them is another question for another time.

Although the development of these primordial germ cells could have important implications for infertile couples looking to have kids through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), scientists also hope to study these cells for clues to age-related diseases.

With age, people not only accumulate genetic mutations, but other changes known as epigenetic changes, which do not affect the underlying DNA sequence. These changes can be caused by smoking, exposure to certain chemicals in the environment, or diet and other lifestyle factors. The development of artificial primordial germ cells, which are stripped clean of the chemicals surrounding the DNA, could offer a better understanding of these epigenetic changes that contribute to ageing and diseases like cancer.

Its not just about making sperm and eggs for infertility, which would be good, but it also has implications for germ-cell tumors as well as the understanding of epigenetic reprogramming, which is quite unique, Suranireportedly said. This is really the foundation for future work.

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Precursors To Human Sperms And Eggs Created, For The First Time, With Skin Cells

A group of scientists has created artificial human sperm and eggs using human embryonic stem cells and skin cells. While researchers have already previously accomplished this using rodents, this is the first time they were able to replicate the process with human cells.

Their final products were not actually working sperm and eggs, but rather germ cells that potentially could mature and become viable for fertility. The study's findings were published Wednesday in the journal Cell.

"Germ cells are 'immortal' in the sense that they provide an enduring link between all generations, carrying genetic information from one generation to the next," Azim Surani, PhD, professor of physiology and reproduction at the University of Cambridge, said in a press release.

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Sperm wear hard hats and live for days? It's true, and that's just the beginning...

When an egg is fertilized by a sperm, it begins to divide into a group of cells called a blastocyst, which is the stage right before the embryo is formed. Some of the cells inside this blastocyst cluster will develop into a fetus, while others eventually become the placenta.

Some cells are set up to become stem cells, which will then have the potential to develop into any type of cell in the body. And some cells in the fetus become primordial germ cells and eventually evolve into the cells of either sperm or eggs, which will allow this offspring to pass their genes on to a future generation.

In the study, the researchers identified a single gene known as SOX17, which is directly responsible for ordering human stem cells to become the cells that will turn into sperm and eggs. The scientists say this discovery on its own is surprising, because this gene is not involved in the creation of primordial cells in rodents. In humans, the SOX17 gene is also involved in helping to develop cells of the lungs, gut and pancreas.

The scientists harvested these cells by culturing human embryonic stem cells for five days. They then showed that the same process could be replicated using adult skin cells.

This doesn't mean men and women will soon be donating skin cells rather than sperm and egg at fertility clinics. Eventually, however, the findings could open the door to more intensive research on human genetics and certain cancers, and could impact fertility treatments sometime in the future.

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Scientists create artificial human eggs and sperm

Primordial germ cells could be produced using adult skin cells.

Using human embryonic stem cells, scientists have produced primordial germ cells that will become sperm and egg in a major breakthrough from the University of Cambridge.

In nature, primordial germ cells are created just after fertilization, during the pre-embryonic phase when cells divide and become a ball of cells called a blastocyst.

Although it doesnt have arms and legs yet, these primordial germ cells know how the being will develop and are already equipped to pass forward its genetic information to the offspring it will produce in the future.

Germ cells are immortal in the sense that they provide an enduring link between all generations, carrying genetic information from one generation to the next, adds Professor Asim Surani of the Gurdon Institute.

Professor Surani and his team also demonstrated that primordial germ cells could be produced using adult skin cells.

Although scientists have, in the past, created primordial germ cells of rodents using their embryonic stem cells, the current study marks the first time they managed to do so for humans.

The findings not only have implications in the field of infertility, they will be useful in the study of whats called epigenetic inheritance, which could lead to treatments for age-related diseases.

Epigenetic inheritance refers to the effects on our genes produced by the environment, examples of which include the effects of smoking or our diets that can be passed down to offspring.

Professor Surani and his colleagues demonstrated that during the specification stage, the environmental consequences on our genes are mostly neutralized except for a small part that is not yet fully understood.

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Science takes a step towards new treatment for infertility

December 26, 2014

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Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Somewhat by accident, researchers at Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have discovered a connection between the bodys immune system and hair loss a discovery that could eventually lead to a molecular treatment for baldness.

According to a new study in the journal PLOS Biology, immune system cells called macrophages, which gobble up and destroy invading pathogens, have a stimulating effect on skin stem cells and hair growth.

The restorative capability of stem cells permits skin re-growth, but various factors can cut their restorative properties or activate the uncontrolled growth seen in cancerous tissues. The new study may have further ramifications beyond potential hair loss treatment, potentially in the field of cancer research.

The connection between macrophages and hair follicles began the research on anti-inflammatory drugs. CINO scientists found that an anti-inflammatory treatment also reactivated hair growth and this accidental discovery led them to examine interactions between stem cells and cells that cause inflammation as part of an immune response.

The CINO team eventually found that when stem cells are inactive, some macrophages die as a result of process known as apoptosis. The process stimulates the release a number of factors that activate stem cells, causing hair to grow again.

The study team investigated a particular class of proteins released by macrophages called Wnt by treating macrophages with a Wnt-inhibitor substance contained within liposomes. The team saw that after they used this drug, the triggering of hair growth was delayed. Even though this study was performed in mice, the scientists believe their discovery may help in the progression of novel care treatments for hair growth in humans.

The potential for attacking one kind of cell to affect a different one might have broader uses beyond simply growing hair, the researchers said. They added that the use of liposomes for drug delivery is also a promising method of experimentation, which may have ramifications for the study of other pathologies.

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Immune system may hold key to curing baldness

At Stem Cell Treatment Institute advanced stem cell procedures are performed at some of the most scientifically advanced hospitals in the world. Our Heart Disease treatment differs from standard methods by attacking the root cause inside the heart. Stem cell therapy is focused on affecting physical changes in the heart that can improve a patient's quality of life.

Most Heart Failure patients are treated by IV; injecting the stem cells into the blood which transports them up the heart.

Another procedure, by which the stem cells are surgically implanted directly into the heart, with angiography is also available.

Treatment using Bone Marrow Stem Cells First bone marrow is collected from the patient's iliac crest (hip bone) using thin-needle puncture under local anesthesia. Once the bone marrow collection is complete, patients may return to their hotel and go about normal activities.

The stem cells are then processed in a state-of-the-art laboratory. In the lab, both the quantity and quality of the stem cells are measured.

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As we age our stem cells become less prolific and less effective. For this reason younger cells are often preferred. We do not need to go all the way back to an early stage embryo to get young cells. Young cells can be used from The Placenta, or Umbilical Cord (cord blood cells), and other young sources. These young cells are more likely than stem cells found in adult sources like bone marrow and adipose tissue (fat) to have proliferative properties. This means that stem cells found in placenta and cord blood have a greater ability to regenerate. In some counrties (US and Europe) requlations limit access to these advanced stem cell sources. Fortunately our International Health Department Permit, a COFEPRIS, is on a Presidential level, insuring access to the highest level of quality stem cells.

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Stem Cell Treatment for Heart Disease

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Heart disease patients with clogged arteries and severe chest pain who were injected with stem cells from their own bone marrow had a small improvement in blood flow and the pumping ability of their hearts, along with an easing of pain, researchers found.

Doctors in the Netherlands drew bone marrow from the hips of heart disease patients in the study. After isolating the stem cells, they injected them back into the patients hearts and monitored their progress. The results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.(JAMA)

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FACT : To treat a range of conditions, and several thousand heart disease patients have been treated with adult stem cells, those found in mature organs. While some cardiologists originally hoped bone marrow cells might generate new heart muscle to replace damaged tissue, that hasnt been found to occur, said Warren Sherman, a cardiologist at Columbia University in New York.

The focus has shifted, said Sherman, in a telephone interview today. Cardiologists are now hoping that bone marrow stem cells can promote the growth of new blood vessels and improve the quality of life and level of chest pain patients have. The new study, in 50 heart disease patients, showed that adult stem cells can improve blood flow and ease chest pain, Sherman said. In the study, half of the heart disease patients got their own stem cells and the others got a simulated treatment. The cardiologists used a catheter, a thin wire threaded through their arteries that also carried a small camera to guide the injections. Go Review and investigate healthy heart and heart wellness stem cell options HERE

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