A quality sword requires toughness on the inside and hardness on the outside. That way it can keep a sharp edge yet bend instead of shatter. Getting these properties requires blanking the metal back to a virgin state, adding the right molecular alloying ingredients, and then controlling the rate of the natural processes that occur as its final structure crystallizes out. Using that general method, researchers have just succeeded in returning adult somatic (body) cells to a virgin stem cell state which can then be made into nearly any tissue.

The key word here is adult. Last year, researchers from Oregon perfected a process to therapeutically clone human embryos. Basically that means producing cells that are genetically identical to a donor for the purpose of treating disease. We described the critical details of the technique, known as somatic-cell nuclear transfer, in an earlier post. In a nutshell, the nucleus from the cell to be cloned is fused with an egg that has its own nucleus removed. Caffeine is used to stall various autonomous developmental programs during a fusion process that has been initiated with an electric pulse. The new hybrid cell that results has full stem cell character which can be biased into different forms by adding various instructor molecules to the mix.

The new results, as we mentioned, were achieved with somatic cellsfrom two men [DOI:10.1016/j.stem.2014.03.015].This is important because it is generally adults who stand to benefit the most from a fresh supply of cells to revitalize their ailing organs. In smithing a sword, the desired crystal structure is achieved by controlling the amount of time spent in different phases of cooling. Often there is more than one heating stage as the metal is first slowly tempered through one regime, than recycled back for a second tortured phase with a quicker quench. As for swords, the key element for getting the adult cells to work was to extend a critical delay phase in this case that around the time the cells were electrically fused. This tempering period is a time for the cell to reorganize prior to committing itself to cell division. After many painstaking experiments, it was found that the 30-minute delay used for the embryonic cell fusions needed to be extended to two hours for the adult cells.

An alternative method for creating stem cells was recently presented which used acid and mechanical persuasion to beat normal cells back into the pluripotent form. This method has been difficult to replicate, and as a result of the controversy surrounding the affair the study has been retracted. Thats not to say that this shortcut is off the table though. Researchers continue to look for better ways to produce stem cells with more creative power, from cells that are ever further set in their ways. The new studies reported here were able to use dermal fibroblasts, essentially skin cells, from both a 35-year-old and 75-year-old man. Previously skin cells have been turned into other kinds of cells, particularly neurons. Now they can become any kind of cell. (Read:Regenerated human heart tissue beats on its own, leads towards replacement hearts and other organs.)

In a sense all cells are like playdough. The longer they have been held in any one sculpted form, the more dried-out and difficult to revert to a multipotent state they become. The same inflexibility still persists as a social mindset of fear in many countries that do not permit federal funding of this kind of research (this new work was funded in South Korea with some participation from US scientists). As researchers begin to learn new tricks to re-infuse cells with moisturizing chemical and mechanical regimens, we all have much to gain. If we are going to be benefactors of this technology, it seems that we should also be producers of it.

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Stem cells created (cloned) from adult cells for the first time

Low back and neck pain; 6 months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson
Low back and neck pain; 6 months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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Low back and neck pain; 6 months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson - Video

Tuesday, April 22 11:57:06

Orbsen Therapeutics, a spin-out from NUI Galway's Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI), is to partner with the University of Birmingham in a E6 million EU FP7 funded MERLIN project to fight liver disease.

The EU FP7-funded project known by the acronym "MERLIN" (MEsynchymal stem cells to Reduce Liver INflammation) is led by Professor Phil Newsome, Clinical Director of the Birmingham University Stem Cell Centre. MERLIN will advance Orbsen's proprietary cell therapy to a Phase 2a clinical trial in patients with inflammatory liver disease. This MERLIN project will evaluate the Orbsen cell therapy in 4 different research laboratories across Europe and the project will culminate in a Phase 2a clinical trial of the therapy in the crippling inflammatory liver disease, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

This is Orbsen's fourth success in attracting FP7 funding (the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research), making them one of Ireland's most successful private companies in this funding programme and now connects Orbsen to 23 global collaborators. Other successful cell therapy projects for Orbsen include PURSTEM (completed), REDDSTAR (ongoing) and DeCIDE (ongoing).

Orbsen Therapeutics Ltd. is a privately-held company founded in 2006 as a spin-out from Ireland's Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) in NUI Galway. As part of the PurStem EU FP7 program, Orbsen developed proprietary technologies that enable the prospective purification of highly defined and therapeutic (stromal) cells from several human tissues, including bone marrow, adipose tissue and umbilical cord.

Orbsen's CEO Brian Molloy said, "Orbsen has secured substantial amounts of research funding in the last 18 months which will further validate our product and bring us through to a "first in man" clinical trial in 2015/16. Our model has always focused on putting the 'science first' and we have successfully used that approach to develop a technology that could potentially position us and indeed Ireland at the leading edge of European Cell Therapy development."

Mr Molloy continued, "As a spin-out from the NUI Galway based REMEDI Institute we have focused the majority of our collaborations with an Irish research team. Our success in the MERLIN project now demonstrates that we are capable of playing a key role in collaborations led by researchers across Europe."

The total research budget for the MERLIN project is close to E6 Million of which E1 Million will go directly to Orbsen Therapeutics over the 4-year period of the project.

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Irish cell therapy firm in E6m research

Spinal Cord Injury

Damage to the spinal cord usually results in impairments or loss of muscle movement, muscle control, sensation and body system control.

Presently, post-accident care for spinal cord injury patients focuses on extensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehabilitation therapies; teaching the injured person how to cope with their disability.

A number of published papers and case studies support the feasibility of treating spinal cord injury with allogeneic human umbilical cord tissue-derived stem cells and autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells.

Feasibility of combination allogeneic stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury: a case report co-authored by Stem Cell Institute Founder Dr. Neil Riordan references many of them. Published improvements include improved ASIA scores, improved bladder and/or bowel function, recovered sexual function, and increased muscle control.

The adult stem cells used to treat spinal cord injuries at the Stem Cell Institute come from two sources: the patients own bone marrow (autologous mesenchymal and CD34+) and human umbilical cord tissue(allogeneic mesenchymal).

A licensed anesthesiologist harvests bone marrow from both hips under light general anesthesia in a hospital operating room. This procedure takes about 1 1/2 2 hours. Before they are administered to the patient, these bone marrow-derived stem cells must pass testing for quality, bacterial contamination (aerobic and anaerobic) and endotoxin.

All donated umbilical cords are screened for viruses and bacteria to International Blood Bank Standards.

Our stem cell treatment protocol for spinal cord injury calls for a total of 16 injections over the course of 4 weeks.

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Stem Cell Therapy || Spinal Cord Injury Treatment || Stem ...

Overview Spinal Cord Injury - Stem Cell Treatment in India In 1995, actor Christopher Reeve fell off a horse and severely damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. From then until his death in 2004, the silver screen Superman became the most famous face of spinal cord injury.

Most spinal cord injury causes permanent disability or loss of movement (paralysis) and sensation below the site of the injury. Paralysis that involves the majority of the body, including the arms and legs, is called quadriplegia or tetraplegia. When a spinal cord injury affects only the lower body, the condition is called paraplegia.

Christopher Reeve's celebrity and advocacy raised national interest, awareness and research funding for spinal cord injury. Many scientists are optimistic that important advances will occur to make the repair of injured spinal cords a reachable goal. In the meantime, treatments and rehabilitation allow many people with spinal cord injury to lead productive, independent lives.

A complete spinal cord injury is defined by total or near-total loss of motor function and sensation below the area of injury. However, even in a complete injury, the spinal cord is almost never completely cut in half. Doctors use the term "complete" to describe a large amount of damage to the spinal cord. It's a key distinction because many people with partial spinal cord injuries are able to experience significant recovery, while those with complete injuries are not.

Together, your spinal cord and your brain make up your central nervous system, which controls most of the functions of your body. Your spinal cord runs approximately 15 to 17 inches from the base of your brain to your waist and is composed of long nerve fibers that carry messages to and from your brain.

These nerve fibers feed into nerve roots that emerge between your vertebrae - the 33 bones that surround your spinal cord and make up your backbone. There, the nerve fibers organize into peripheral nerves that extend to the rest of your body.

Injury may be traumatic or nontraumatic

A traumatic spinal cord injury may stem from a sudden, traumatic blow to your spine that fractures, dislocates, crushes or compresses one or more of your vertebrae. It may also result from a gunshot or knife wound that penetrates and cuts your spinal cord. Additional damage usually occurs over days or weeks because of bleeding, swelling, inflammation and fluid accumulation in and around your spinal cord.

Nontraumatic spinal cord injury may be caused by arthritis, cancer, blood vessel problems or bleeding, inflammation or infections, or disk degeneration of the spine.

Damage to nerve fibers

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Spinal Cord Injury,Stem Cell Therapy Spinal Cord Treatment ...

Stem Cells and Spinal Cord Injury:

Spinal cord injuries are described at various levels of "incomplete", which can vary from having no effect on the patient to a "complete" injury which means a total loss of function.

Treatment of spinal cord injuries starts with restraining the spine and controlling inflammation to prevent further damage. The actual treatment can vary widely depending on the location and extent of the injury. In many cases, spinal cord injuries require substantial physical therapy and rehabilitation, especially if the patient's injury interferes with activities of daily life.

After a spinal cord injury, many of the nerve fibers at the injury site lose their insulating layer of myelin. As a result, the fibers are no longer able to properly transmit signals between the brain and the spinal cord contributing to paralysis. Unfortunately, the spinal cord lacks the ability to restore these lost myelin-forming cells after trauma.

Tissue engineering in the spinal cord involves the implantation of scaffold material to guide cell placement and foster cell development. These scaffolds can also be used to deliver stem cells at the site of injury and maximize their regenerative potential.

When the spinal cord is damagedeither accidentally (car accidents, falls) or as the result of a disease (multiple sclerosis, infections, tumors, severe forms of spinal bifida, etc.)it can result in the loss of sensation and mobility and even in complete paralysis.

Spinal Cord Injury and Stem Cell Treatment

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Stem Cell Treatment Spinal Cord Injury - ASCI - Asian Stem ...

Home

When heart fails to pump out sufficient blood to the rest of the body as demanded, most often caused by heart attack and high blood pressure, heart muscles will be damaged. This is a condition called heart failure. Most people with heart failure complain of breathing difficulty that may happen during exercise, eating or even sleeping. Other common symptoms and signs are lethargy, ankle swelling, abdominal bloating, frequent urination and memory impairment.

Patient with heart failure also have a poor prognosis and high risk of developing dangerous heart rhythms triggered by the damaged tissue inside the heart.

Current established treatment includes medications that have been proven to alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of death. Furthermore if the heart damage were caused by blockage of artery, then angioplasty or heart bypass operation may help as they can restore blood supply to parts of the heart that is starved of oxygen. Unfortunately none of the conventional and current treatments above could regenerate new heart muscle to replace the permanently damaged ones caused by previous heart attacks. Hence there will always be some degree of heart failure and progressive deterioration in health.

For patient with heart failure, Cardiocell treatment will repair damaged cells and provide growth of new heart muscle, hence increase the overall strength of heart and alleviate heart failure. In addition, Cardiocell replaces the scarred portions of the damaged heart with viable muscle. As these scarred areas can trigger dangerous heart rhythms and cause cardiac arrest, by replacing the scar tissue, Cardiocell not only improves heart failure but also reduces the risk of sudden death from cardiac arrest.

In studies using cells identical to Cardiocell for heart failure, patients benefited from symptom relief, improved exercise capacity and stamina, and reduction of angina. There is evidence of increased heart strength and contractility, reduction of heart swelling and scar tissue.

Cardiocell allows the heart to repair and reverse its damage that current conventional treatment cannot provide. It is therefore complementary to conventional heart failure therapy. It brings new hope and treatment option for heart failure patients who remain ill in spite of, or are ineligible for, current treatments.

Generally if you had a heart attack in the last 2 years which has resulted in severe heart failure now and you have exhausted current methods of treatment, then you may be eligible for CardiocellTM treatment. We welcome your participation in CardiocellTM pilot programme as part of Cytopeutics clinical study. However, you should consult your regular doctor or cardiologist to determine your eligibility criteria.

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Stem Cell Treatment For Heart And Knee : Cytopeutics

Welcome

The Stem Cell Center Texas Heart Institute is dedicated to the study of adult stem cells and their role in treating diseases of the heart and the circulatory system. Through numerous clinical and preclinical studies, we have come to realize the potential of stem cells to help patients suffering from cardiovascular disease.We are actively enrolling patients in studies using stem cells for the treatment of heart failure, heart attacks, and peripheral vascular disease.

Whether you are a patient looking for information regarding our research, or a doctor hoping to learn more about stem cell therapy, we welcome you to the Stem Cell Center. Please visit our Clinical Trials page for more information about our current trials.

Emerson C. Perin, MD, PhD, FACC Director, Clinical Research for Cardiovascular Medicine Medical Director, Stem Cell Center McNair Scholar

You may contact us at:

E-mail: stemcell@texasheart.org Toll free: 1-866-924-STEM (7836) Phone: 832-355-9405 Fax: 832-355-9440

We are a network of physicians, scientists, and support staff dedicatedto studying stem cell therapy for treating heart disease. Thegoals of the Network are to complete research studies that will potentially lead to more effective treatments for patients with cardiovasculardisease, and to share knowledge quickly with the healthcare community.

Websitein Spanish (En espaol)

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The Stem Cell Center at Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's

Two experimental approaches are showing promise for the treatment of heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy: gene therapy and stem cell therapy. Both of these approaches have received a lot of publicity, and you may be wondering how close they are to routine clinical use.

The answer is that they are both in the very early stages of investigation, and a lot more work has to be done before they become widely available.

In animal experiments, several genes have been tried, including genes for sarcoplasmic reticulum (a membrane within muscle cells that helps to control calcium movement); for adrenaline receptors (receptors on cell membranes that allow cells to respond to adrenaline); and for adenylyl cyclase (a protein that helps to generate energy within cells).

While the animal testing of gene therapy has shown significant promise, it has not yet become advanced enough to proceed to clinical trials.

Based on such promising findings, early stem cell therapy has now been applied, in a few small studies, in carefully selected patients.

Early human studies suggest that the transplanted stem cells do not actually take over the work of the heart, but rather, they produce certain substances (including cytokines, growth factors, and others) that help the "native" heart cells to function more efficiently. They also appear to stimulate "native" stem cells already present in the heart to differentiate into functioning cardiac cells.

There has been only a very limited experience so far using stem cells in patients with heart failure. The small studies that have been done suggest that stem cells can modestly improve cardiac function in certain patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. This improvement is shown by an improvement in the ejection fraction.

Potential risks of stem cell therapy include the possibility of ventricular tachycardia, which apparently is seen in many patients after the injection of stem cells. Because of this problem, some investigators now require patients to receive implantable defibrillators prior to certain types of stem cell therapy for heart failure. Also, observations suggest that in patients who have stents for coronary artery disease, restenosis (blockage) may be more frequent after stem cell treatment.

In summary, stem cell therapy for heart failure is still in its early stages of investigation. Major questions remain regarding what types of cells are best to use, how they should be delivered, how likely it is that there will be a significant long-term benefit, and whether the long-term safety of the technique is acceptable. While stem cell therapy has shown promise, investigators are still quite a ways from being ready for a major clinical trial, let alone for routine usage.

Sources:

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Gene Therapy and Stem Cell Therapy For Heart Failure

BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION OVERVIEW

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT), also called hematopoietic stem cell transplant or hematopoietic cell transplant, is a type of treatment for cancer (and a few other conditions as well). A review of the normal function of the bone marrow will help in the understanding of bone marrow transplantation.

Bone marrow functionBone marrow is the soft, spongy area in the center of some of the larger bones of the body. The marrow produces all of the different cells that make up the blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells (of many different types), and platelets. All of these cells develop from a type of precursor cell found in the bone marrow, called a hematopoietic stem cell.

The body is able to direct hematopoietic stem cells to develop into the blood components needed at any given moment. This is a very active process, with the bone marrow producing millions of different cells every hour. Most of the stem cells stay in the marrow until they are transformed into the various blood components, which are then released into the blood stream. Small numbers of stem cells, however, can be found in the circulating blood, which allows them to be collected under certain circumstances. Various strategies can be employed to increase the number of hematopoietic stem cells in the blood prior to collection. (See 'Peripheral blood' below.)

Bone marrow transplantationSome of the most effective treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy and radiation, are toxic to the bone marrow. In general, the higher the dose, the more toxic the effects on the bone marrow.

In bone marrow transplantation, you are given very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which is intended to more effectively kill cancer cells and unfortunately also destroy all the normal cells developing in the bone marrow, including the critical stem cells. After the treatment, you must have a healthy supply of stem cells reintroduced, or transplanted. The transplanted cells then reestablish the blood cell production process in the bone marrow. Reduced doses of radiation or chemotherapy that do not completely destroy the bone marrow may be used in some settings. (See 'Non-myeloablative transplant' below.)

The cells that will be transplanted can be taken from the bone marrow (called a bone marrow transplant), from the bloodstream (called a peripheral blood stem cell transplant, which requires that you take medication to boost the number of hematopoietic stem cells in the blood), or occasionally from blood obtained from the umbilical cord at the time of birth of a normal newborn (called an umbilical cord blood transplant).

TYPES OF BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

There are two main types of bone marrow transplantation: autologous and allogeneic.

Autologous transplantIn autologous transplantation, your own hematopoietic stem cells are removed before the high dose chemotherapy or radiation is given, and they are then frozen for storage and later use. After your chemotherapy or radiation is complete, the harvested cells are thawed and returned to you.

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Bone marrow transplantation (stem cell transplantation)

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Jacquelyn Jeanty

Jacquelyn Jeanty has worked as a freelance writer since 2008. Her work appears at various websites. Her specialty areas include health, home and garden, Christianity and personal development. Jeanty holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Purdue University.

Since 1968, bone-marrow transplant procedures have been used to treat diseases such as leukemia, lymphomas and immune-deficiency disorders. By comparison, stem-cell transplants procedures are a fairly new development within the medical-science world. As a result, the potential uses and risks involved with stem-cell procedures are as of yet not fully known.

Transplant procedures are intended to replace defective or damaged tissues and cells with cells that are able to replace damaged tissue and restore normal function within the body. The use of bone-marrow material versus stem cell material is actually referring to two sides of the same coin, as bone marrow is a type of stem cell derived from the cells inside the bone. Stem cells, in general, can be taken from a number of sources, some of which include the umbilical cord, fetal material, the placenta, somatic cells, embryonic materials, as well as bone marrow material. The type of transplant procedure used will depend on the type of treatment needed and the area of the body affected.

Stem-cell research is a developing field in which stem cells are used to cure diseases, engineer gene-types and clone animals and humans. What makes stem cells so promising is their ability to evolve into a variety of different tissue forms. When used to treat diseased tissues, stem cells may provide a permanent cure as healthy new cells reproduce and replace defective cell organisms. This type of transplant may someday provide a way to treat cancer formations inside the body. Bone marrow stem cells are being used to replace unhealthy bone marrow in people who suffer from blood-borne diseases such as leukemia.

As with any type of surgical procedure, certain risks are involved when undergoing a stem-cell transplant. Frequent testing and possible hospitalizations may be necessary after the procedure is done. Individuals who receive donor stem cells may experience what's called the "graft-versus-host disease." This condition occurs when the patient's immune system reacts to the transplanting of donor stem cells. Symptoms of graft-versus-host disease include vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes and abdominal pain. Organ damage, blood vessel damage and secondary cancers are other possible complications that can arise.

Bone-marrow material is made up of the soft tissue contained inside the bones. This material is responsible for producing and storing the body's blood cells. Bone marrow can be extracted from the breast bone, the hips, the spine, the ribs and the skull. Transplant materials can be used to replace unhealthy bone material for individuals who've undergone radiation or chemotherapy treatments. Individuals who suffer from a genetic disease such as Hurler's syndrome or adrenoleukodystrophy can also benefit from receiving a healthy supply of bone-marrow material.

The risks involved with bone marrow transplants vary depending on how healthy a person is, the type of transplant being done and how compatible a donor's material is. Individuals who've undergone chemotherapy or radiation treatments may experience complications because of the weakened state that the body is in. As bone-marrow material can come from the patient or from a donor, compatibility risks are more of a concern when donor materials are used. Possible complications from a transplant include anemia, infection, internal bleeding or internal-organ damage.

There are different types of bone marrow transplants, including an allogeneic and an autologous transplant. In allogeneic bone marrow transplants, stem cells...

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Stem - Cell Transplant Vs. Bone - Marrow Transplant | eHow

Watch the Cancer.Net Video: Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation: An Introduction, with Sonali Smith, MD, adapted from this content.

Key Messages:

Stem cell transplantation is a procedure that is most often recommended as a treatment option for people with leukemia, multiple myeloma, and some types of lymphoma. It may also be used to treat some genetic diseases that involve the blood.

During a stem cell transplant diseased bone marrow (the spongy, fatty tissue found inside larger bones) is destroyed with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and then replaced with highly specialized stem cells that develop into healthy bone marrow. Although this procedure used to be referred to as a bone marrow transplant, today it is more commonly called a stem cell transplant because it is stem cells in the blood that are typically being transplanted, not the actual bone marrow tissue.

The purpose of bone marrow and hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells

Bone marrow produces more than 20 billion new blood cells every day throughout a person's life. The driving force behind this process is the hematopoietic (pronounced he-mah-tuh-poy-ET-ick) stem cell. Hematopoietic stem cells are immature cells found in both the bloodstream and bone marrow. These specialized cells have the ability to create more blood-forming cells or to mature into one of the three different cell types that make up our blood. These include red blood cells (cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body), white blood cells (cells that help the body fight infections and diseases), and platelets (cells that help blood clot and control bleeding). Signals passing from the body to the bone marrow tell the stem cells which cell types are needed the most.

For people with bone marrow diseases and certain types of cancer, the essential functions of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are disrupted because the hematopoietic stem cells dont mature properly. To help restore the bone marrows ability to produce healthy blood cells, doctors may recommend stem cell transplantation.

Types of stem cell transplantation

There are two main types of stem cell transplantation:

Autologous transplantation (AUTO). A patient undergoing an AUTO transplant receives his or her own stem cells. During the AUTO transplant process, the patients stem cells are collected and then stored in a special freezer that can preserve them for decades. Usually the patient is treated the following week with powerful doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, after which the frozen stem cells are thawed and infused into the patient's vein. The stem cells typically remain in the bloodstream for about 24 hours until they find their way to the marrow space, where they grow and multiply, beginning the healing process.

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What is Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplantation? | Cancer.Net

Royal L #39;Opulent Rejuv
Rejuvenate your skin through the activation of skin stem cells. Brightens your skin for a more even toned complexion, restores skins natural moisture to serv...

By: SariSariNZ

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Royal L'Opulent Rejuv - Video

The advance could lead to tissue-transplant operations for a range of debilitating disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and spinal cord injuries.

Last year, a team created stem cells from the skin cells of babies, but it was unclear whether it would work in adults.

However, a team of scientists from the Research Institute for Stem Cell Research at CHA Health Systems in Los Angeles and the University of Seoul said they had achieved the same result with two men, one aged 35, the other the 75-year-old. "The proportion of diseases you can treat with lab-made tissue increases with age. So if you can't do this with adult cells it is of limited value," said Robert Lanza, co-author of the research, which was published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

The technique works by removing the nucleus from an unfertilised egg and replacing it with the nucleus of a skin cell. An electric shock causes the cells to divide until they form a "blastocyst", a small ball of a few hundred cells.

In IVF, a blastocyst is implanted into the womb, but with the new technique the cells would be harvested to create other organs or tissues.

The breakthrough is likely to reignite the debate about the ethics of creating human embryos for medical purposes and the possible use of the same technique to produce cloned babies - which is illegal in Britain.

Although the embryos created may not produce a human clone even if implanted in a womb, the prospect is now closer. However, scientists have tried for years to clone monkeys and have yet to succeed.

Dr Lanza admitted that without strong regulations, the early embryos produced in therapeutic cloning "could also be used for human reproductive cloning, although this would be unsafe and grossly unethical". However, he said it was important for the future of regenerative medicine that research into therapeutic cloning should continue.

Shoukhrat Mitalipov, a reproductive biologist from Oregon Health and Science University, who developed the technique last year, said: "The advance here is showing that [nuclear transfer] looks like it will work with people of all ages.

"I'm happy to hear that our experiment was verified and shown to be genuine."

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Cloning advance means human tissues could be regrown, even in old age

Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Invasive bladder cancer (IBC), a malignant disease that currently affects more than 375,000 people worldwide, has been found to be caused by a single type of cell in the lining of the bladder, according to researchers with the Stanford University School of Medicine.

The researchers say this is the first study to pinpoint the normal cell type that can give rise to IBC. It is also the first study to show that most bladder cancers and their precancerous lesions arise from just one cell, which could also explain why many bladder cancers recur after therapy.

Weve learned that, at an intermediate stage during cancer progression, a single cancer stem cell and its progeny can quickly and completely replace the entire bladder lining, Philip Beachy, PhD, professor of biochemistry and of developmental biology, said in a statement. All of these cells have already taken several steps along the path to becoming an aggressive tumor. Thus, even when invasive carcinomas are successfully removed through surgery, this corrupted lining remains in place and has a high probability of progression.

Beachy and colleagues found that while cancer stem cells and the precancerous lesions they form express an important signaling protein known as sonic hedgehog, the cells of subsequent invasive cancers invariably do not a critical switch that appears vital for invasion and metastasis. This switch may explain certain confusing aspects of previous studies on the cellular origins of bladder cancer in humans. It also pinpoints a possible weak link in cancer progression that could be targeted by therapies.

This could be a game changer in terms of therapeutic and diagnostic approaches, said Michael Hsieh, MD, PhD, assistant professor of urology and a co-author of the study. Until now, its not been clear whether bladder cancers arise as the result of cancerous mutations in many cells in the bladder lining as the result of ongoing exposure to toxins excreted in the urine, or if its due instead to a defect in one cell or cell type. If we can better understand how bladder cancers begin and progress, we may be able to target the cancer stem cell, or to find molecular markers to enable earlier diagnosis and disease monitoring.

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and the ninth in women. There are two main types of bladder cancer: one that invades the muscle around the bladder and then metastasizes to other organs, and another that remains confined to the bladder lining. Unlike noninvasive cancers, most invasive bladder cancers are untreatable. Those that can be treated are expensive and difficult to cure, and with a high likelihood of recurrences, ongoing monitoring is required.

To determine what genes or cell types are at play in the formation of bladder cancer, the study team used a mouse model that closely mimicked what happens in humans. Usually, researchers rely on prior knowledge or guesses as to what genes are involved and often genetically alter cell types in animals to induce overexpression of a gene known to be involved in tumorigenesis or to block the expression of a gene that inhibits cancer development.

LINK TO SMOKING

Previous work by Beachy and his colleagues suggested that basal cells play a role in bladder cancer. However, the new study offered an unbiased approach.

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Single Cell Type Found To Cause Most Invasive Bladder Cancers: Study

Madison #39;s Before After Stem Cell Therapy
Had step cell therapy procedure on 4/14/14 and we were seeing noticeable results only 4 short days later.

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Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) April 21, 2014

The Center for Joint Regeneration is now offering several stem cell procedures for patients with knee arthritis to help avoid the need for joint replacement. The procedures are offered by Board-certified and Fellowship-trained orthopedic doctors, with the stem cells being derived from either bone marrow or amniotic fluid. For more information and scheduling with the top stem cell providers in the greater Phoenix area, call (480) 466-0980.

For the hundreds of thousands of individuals who undergo a knee replacement every year, it should be considered an absolute last resort, after other conservative options have failed. Although the vast majority of knee replacements do well, the implants are not meant to last forever, the surgery does have potential risks and the biomechanics of the knee are significantly changed with the prosthetic implants.

Stem cells for knee arthritis have the potential to repair and regenerate damage from arthritis and relieve pain substantially. Center for Joint Regeneration offers these outpatient procedures with several methods.

The first involves usage of the patient's own bone marrow, with a short harvesting procedure, processing the bone marrow, and injection at the same setting into one or both knees.

Another method is with amniotic derived stem cell rich material, which not only possesses concentrated stem cells but also a significant amount of growth factors and hyaluronic acid. The material is a meteorologically privileged and has been used tens of thousands of times around the world with minimal adverse events.

Platelet rich plasma therapy for knee degeneration is also offered. PRP therapy has been shown in recent studies at Hospital for Special Surgery to work well for pain relief from knee arthritis. It also offers the ability to preserve knee cartilage based on serial MRI's performed in the study.

So far, clinical outcomes with the stem cell regenerative procedures have been excellent. The Board-Certified orthopedic doctors at Center for Joint Regeneration, Doctors Farber and Dewanjee, are exceptionally well trained and highly skilled at these outpatient procedures.

For those individuals looking to avoid or delay the need for knee replacement due to degenerative arthritis, call the Center for Joint Regeneration today at (480) 466-0980. The Center offers stem cell treatments Phoenix and Scottsdale trust!

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Center for Joint Regeneration Now Offering Several Stem Cell Procedures for Patients to Avoid Knee Replacement

Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) April 21, 2014

The top foot and ankle specialists in Arizona at Valley Foot Surgeons are now offering stem cell treatments for diabetic wounds. The treatments may propel these difficult wounds to heal in a much shorter time frame than they would without regenerative medicine therapy. The stem cell doctor is a four-time Phoenix Magazine Top Doc Winner; call (480) 994-5977 for more information and scheduling.

With up to a third of individuals suffering from diabetes (or pre-diabetes), wounds and ulcers are becoming more common all the time in the foot and ankle area. Due to the immunocompromised state of diabetics, it can be extremely difficult for the human body to naturally heal these wounds. Sometimes, they persist for years, become infected, and may lead to an eventual need for an amputation.

At Valley Foot Surgeons, Phoenix Top Doc Richard Jacoby is now offering stem cell treatments for diabetic wounds. These treatments are performed as an outpatient and involve subcutaneous injections of amniotic derived stem cell material around the wound.

The procedure offers several benefits in addition to a hefty concentration of stem cells. The material is immunologically privileged and does not cause a rejection reaction. It is processed from an FDA regulated lab.

The amniotic derived stem cells assists with the creation of new blood vessels to help heal the wounds and also contains a significant amount of growth factors. The stem cell material also has antimicrobial properties, helping avoid infection.

Along with the stem cell procedures, Valley Foot Surgeons offers laser treatment simultaneously which further helps with the healing process. With approximately 100 stem cell procedures performed so far for diabetic wounds, the outcomes have been nothing short of incredible.

Wounds have been healing, and much faster than with conventional methods. For more information and treatment with the top foot and ankle stem cell doctor in Phoenix and Scottsdale, call (480) 420-3499.

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