Stem Cells — Education
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Introduction / Umbilical Cord Stem Cells The constantly renewed supply of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells can be tapped, easily and inexpensively. Umbilical Cord Stem Cells can be used as-is, or processed for increased effectiveness. A huge world-wide need already exists. Very little is being done to meet that need. It is possible to break through the stranglehold that Big Pharma has placed on Stem Cell use, easily supplying these products for international and domestic use. In so doing, hundreds of thousands of people can be helped. Stem Cells—What Are They?
Stem cells are the primordial cells in the human body. They have the ability to convert into any other of the 200 odd cell types in the human body. Since their basic programming is to build an entire human body, they can then repair damage, or even replace missing organs (in animals and thus far with the help of researchers). Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive.
These embryonic stem cells are understood to be multipotent (capable of differentiating in to almost every cell type in a living body). They divide and differentiate to ultimately construct the entire human body. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. Because stem cells can turn into any other cell, they serve as a major repair mechanism of the body. Research has shown that stem cells can recognize areas of need, and migrate into those areas, then multiply and differentiate into the exact cells needed to repair the tissues and organs that have been damaged. As the stem cells are used, they replace themselves, so continue to be available for repair of damage. It appears that stem cells follow the electromagnetic field which defines the shape and function of the body. This may soon allow them to recreate a lost limb or organ, as already is possible in lower animals such as newts and salamanders. The Ultimate in Preventative Therapies Research shows that new stem cells are more able to multiply, and to make repairs, than older stem cells, such as those existing in aging bodies. The availability of newborn stem cells such as those we offer makes the body maintenance processes much more active. As damaged cells are identified by the immune system, and then replaced by circulating stem cells, dangerous conditions such as cancer are likely to be prevented. In fact, stem cells can be considered the ultimate Preventive Health measure!
Stem Cell Therapy involves the introduction of healthy new stem cells to, potentially, repair, and replace damaged or lost cells. The ability to repair damaged tissues and rejuvenate aging organs makes it very effective at reversing various disease processes, as well as the signs and symptoms of aging.
Embryonic - We do NOT provide this type of cells.
At birth, the umbilical cord is cut, and the cord and placenta are usually discarded as medical waste. The blood remaining in the placenta and cord still contain significant numbers of stem cells, as do the placenta and cord structures themselves. To collect them, the blood is collected from the placenta and cord within 5 minutes of birth, and placed in a special bag with a solution that prevents clotting. The blood is transported to the lab within 24 hours. Stem cells are separated from the blood using a centrifuge or other methods. Why are Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Superior? Unlike embryonic stem cells, Umbilical Cord Stem Cells are usually ignored in the media. There seems to be an organized attempt to prevent people from knowing that a readily available source of stem cells exists world wide. This is likely because the large pharmaceutical companies seek to control the production and use of stem cells. • These cells are “Pluripotent,” which means that they can turn into almost any cell type. • Unlike embryonic stem cells, Umbilical Cord Stem Cells do not promote tumors. • Unlike adult stem cells, Umbilical Cord Stem Cells do not cause immune reaction. Since these immature cells do not express adult tissue-type proteins (ABO, Rh, and HLA antigens) on their surfaces, these proteins do not seem to cause either an immune reaction in the recipient, or a graft vs host reaction against the recipient. • Unlike fetal stem cells, Umbilical Cord Stem Cells do not require the death of a human baby or fetus. The only accepted use for umbilical cord stem cells in establishment medicine is as a substitute for bone marrow transplant in cancer patients. After the bone marrow is destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation, cord blood stem cells have the ability to reconstitute the bone marrow. Over 5,000 cord blood cell transplants have been done for this purpose, and few, if any, side effects have been reported. To ensure a supply of stem cells, Cord Blood Banks are being established nationwide. These $14,000 stem cells are not available for other uses. Although the cancer specialists are only interested in reestablishing the ability to form blood, these stem cells replace much more than just bone marrow stem cells, and are likely to assist the body in recovery from cancer in other ways. Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells
They are also present in bone marrow, and help form the structure of the marrow and support the blood-forming cells there. These cells are also multipotent, and able to differentiate into progenitor cells representing all three layers of the embryo. This means that an additional rich source of multipotent stem cells is now available. Without further processing, mesenchymal cells readily differentiate into cells which repair bone, fat, joints, cartilage, tendons and connective tissues. With further processing, these cells have already been converted into brain type cells, liver and pancreas precursor cells. They have treated Parkinson’s disease in rats, and have rebuilt kidney damaged tissue. Thus, it appears that these mesenchymal stem cells are at least as exciting as the umbilical cord blood stem cells in rebuilding the many structures and organs of the body. Embryonic Stem Cells
Because these cells are prone to form tumors (cancer) when transplanted, their clinical (therapeutic) use is questionable. Rather than just using them as they exist in nature, embryonic stem cells require technology for selection of pure populations of differentiated cells or somatic cells. There are over 200 kinds are available now, due to extensive research efforts using these cells. Since these cells are derived from human embryos, there are definite ethical considerations affecting their use, though recent breakthroughs which may allow skin cells to be used as embryonic stem cells will likely change this. Currently, excess in vitro fertilization embryos are most commonly used to make these stem cells. Since many of these cell lines have not been able to be grown without animal “feeder” cells, there is risk of contamination of these cells with animal viruses. Older cell lines, which have originated with human embryos but been grown out as stem cells for years, are approved for federal government research. However, these lines are most likely to suffer from genetic abnormalities, due to the continued multiplication and division of these cells. Embryonic stem cells are the type most commonly mentioned in the media. In fact, in the media, the words embryonic stem cells and stem cells are often treated as if they were the same thing. The US government has restricted funding of research with embryonic cell lines to a few already existing lines, and denied the use of federal research funds for making new stem cells due to ethical reasons. Big Research = Big Pharma The Hype, the Money, and the Control needed to handle embryonic stem cells make these the darling of the Big Pharmaceutical Corporations. Embryonic stem cells require extensive research and processing capabilities to make them, and to make them into useful cell types. It appears that the major corporations funding embryonic cell research desire to make these the only type of stem cell used. The reason for this is that only the big research corporations have the assets to do the research to bring these cells into medical use. Since it requires a lot of research and money to do so, it is likely that they will be able to come up with a number of patentable processes, which will allow them to control the use and sales of embryonic stem cells. Fetal Stem Cells Fetal Stem Cells are harvested from aborted human fetuses. This poses obvious ethical questions. Ideally, these cells are harvested from fetuses whose mothers have already decided to abort, and who do not benefit financially from donating the fetal tissue to a stem cell company. Typically, these are young women in Eastern Europe. Liver (somatic) and Brain (neuronal) cell types most common. They are currently available from Ukraine or Czech, and many are administered in the Dominican Republic, at a cost of $25,000 USD per treatment. Since these cells are the result of an abortion, there is a risk that the fetal materials have been contaminated with mothers’ blood or other materials. Adult blood cells can react against the transplant recipient’s tissue, or cause an immune reaction by the recipient against the contaminated fetal cells. Contaminated stem cells may be sensitized against adult blood, thus causing a “graft vs host disease” problem after transplantation. Another concern with these fetal cells is the apparent lack of screening for infectious diseases in these tissues. Given the fact that these cells are the result of unprotected sexual activity, one might be concerned about sexually transmitted or blood borne diseases transmitted by the same activity, which diseases might be transmitted by the fetal stem cells. None of the companies providing these cells have given certified data about infectious disease screening of mother or fetus. Adult Stem Cells Adult Stem Cells are adult in that they are harvested from mature tissues, though those tissues may be in a child. Sources include biopsies of adult fat, muscle, bone marrow, blood, or liposuction fluid. They are called multipotent, because they have the ability to turn into a few types of cells. Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells do not require other cells to feed them when they are being grown. Unlike embryonic cells, they do not promote tumors. But because they are from tissues that fully express the tissue type, they CAN cause immune reactions when implanted into a person different from the donor. These cells can be grown and scaled up for use in multiple patients, without differentiation into a particular cell type. Stem Cell Types –By Cell Line
• Pluripotent stem cells differentiate into the precursor cells for many specialized cell types. • This differentiation can be controlled by using cell growth factors, special cell messenger molecules. • Much of the stem cell research involves this differentiation process. • Neuronal Stem cells, from brain, nose or skin, can be used to repair spinal injuries, brain injuries, and blindness, and treat degenerative nerve disorders like Multiple Sclerosis and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). • Liver-pancreas precursor cells can heal a damaged liver or pancreas, and cure diabetes • Hematopoietic, or blood forming stem cells, are most commonly used to replenish bone marrow in cancer patients whose marrow has been destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation. • Umbilical cord blood banks and bone marrow banks store these cells for cancer patient transplantation • Mesenchymal Stem Cells, from the umbilical cord, fat or other tissues, can be used to rebuild bone marrow, kidneys, pancreas, brain, nerves, bones, joints, tendons, or other organs. • Muscle Stem Cells, from adult muscle biopsy, can be grown out and then injected into a damaged heart, causing the heart to repair itself. This is being done in clinical trials now. See below: Self-donated cells now used to repair damaged heart muscle. Note: These are still OLD cells.
Technology of Stem Cell Therapy A brief look at established Stem Cell Science Collecting the Cord Blood
Mother’s blood is checked by an independent lab near the time of birth to verify non-infectious status. Newborn blood is much less likely to show markers of infectious illness, even if it showed up in maternal blood. Donated cells are never used until the labs clear. Collecting Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells After collection of blood, the umbilical cord is cut from the placenta, and kept cold until processed. The blood vessels are removed from the cord, and the cord is cut into 1 cm sections. The cord pieces are soaked in an enzyme cocktail for an hour or so. The enzymes break down the matrix around the mesenchymal stem cells, releasing them into the fluid, which is centrifuged to settle the cells, and washed. The cells may then be expanded, stored, or used. Separation—Gravimetric
Fluorescent Separation
Phase II—Expansion
Differentiation Means changing from a multipotent cell into a more specialized cell. For example, a stem cell might differentiate into a nerve cell precursor cell, a skin precursor cell, a mesenchymal cell, or a liver/pancreas precursor cell.
Differentiation—Phase III Therapies Administering the precursor to a specific cell type, instead of a generalized, pluripotent stem cell, allows concentration of healing power on a particular organ or system. This allows specific cell types to be used to treat specific diseases. Stem Cell Therapies are being applied to treat a wide range of human conditions, including many types of cancer, infectious diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis, diabetes, heart, lung, kidney diseases, many diseases of the eyes like Macular Degeneration or Retinitis Pigmentosa, as well as neurological disorders such as Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries. Over 70 diseases have so far been successfully treated with stem cell therapy. Diseases Amenable to Stem Cell Therapy Mainstream medicine uses Cord Blood Stem Cells as a primary treatment for replacing bone marrow destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation. Over 5000 of these stem cell transplantations have been given, without problems. Cord blood banks to store umbilical cord blood or stem cells for these purposes now exist in many cities. Pioneering doctors now have successfully treated more than 70 diseases with stem cells. Because of the money available for cancer research, and because blood illnesses and cancer are treated by the same doctors, most of the 70+ listed illnesses are types of cancer, or blood or immune system disorders. Another significant category of diseases amenable to treatment with stem cells are genetic disorders, especially disorders of metabolism. Many of these genetic disorders cause the body to lack a certain enzyme or body chemical. If a few normal cells can be transplanted in these illnesses, these cells often can produce enough of the missing enzyme to cure the illness. Stem cell treatment of more common illnesses are less studied by the medical establishment, but more often studied by researchers outside of the university and big corporation setting. For Clinical Experience with over 1700 patients with Fetal Stem Cell Therapy in Ukraine, click here. For a list of over 70 conditions treatable with stem cells, click here. For a list of conditions treatable with umbilical cord stem cells, click here.
We divide therapies into three phases: Phase I Therapy — unprocessed stem cells Phase I Therapy — Unprocessed Stem Cells Prescreened, disease-free placentas and umbilical cords are collected and the blood removed from them. Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells (UCB Stem Cells) are separated from Umbilical Cord Blood within 24 hours. • Using Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells overcomes the potential downside of other types of stem cell therapy. • Some cell types, especially embryonic stem cells, tend to degenerate and form tumors when transplanted. Adult and Umbilical cord cells do not have this tendency. • Adult stem cells can cause immune reactions when transplanted into another person. Rejection of the transplant, or graft vs. host disease, can result. Umbilical cord stem cells seem to lack this response. • Because they contain a mixture of stem cell types, including stem cells that can turn into any cell type, unprocessed Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells (UCB Stem Cells) are useful for many generalized disorders. • These cells are excellent for use in Anti-Aging. Stem cells increase libido, energy and strength, thicken thinning skin, increase muscle and bone mass, improve heart and immune system function, increase eyesight in many cases, improve lung function in many cases. • They are also good for Skin conditions, Arthritis and Joint problems, kidney, liver, heart, and many more. The following is a partial list of improvements reported by recipients: Cardiac: Restore cardiac function and stop arrhythmias. Repair heart muscle and blood supply. Rebuild some valves. Lungs: Improve function in some cases. MS: Improve many cases. Kidneys: Improve many cases. Liver: Improve liver function. Regrow damaged liver. Metabolic Disease: Cure many cases of devastating metabolic disease Neurologic: Improves memory in many cases. Reverses MS and ALS. Very effective in stroke and cerebral palsy. Cancer: Improves immune system function. Repairs or replaces damaged immune system. Sometimes regrows normal tissue to replace cancer. Blood Disorders: Replaces damaged marrow, curing many cases. Diabetes: Cures some cases of Type I and II. Bones and Joints: Increase bone mass. Repair many arthritic joints. Skin: Skin disorders. Surgery: Improved post-surgical healing. Endocrine Gland Disorders: Renew and regulate youthful hormone levels Phase II Therapies – Expanded Cell Lines
The minimum dose for an adult can be found in one cord blood donation (unit). Some units are smaller, and may have only half as many stem cells. Expansion of the cells, which can double up to 10 times without a problem, insures effective use of smaller cord blood donation. In research, mice have been given as much as 200 Million human stem cells, and did very well! Allowing the Stem Cells to multiply will increase the number of Stem Cells transplanted, and likely increase the chance of effective treatment and healing. Still, since stem cells can multiply and produce more stem cells, and more of the needed differentiated cell type, it may not be necessary to give large amounts of stem cells. More research will determine optimum numbers for different conditions. Further expansion will allow several people to be treated with only one unit of donated cord blood. Overexpansion may decrease the cell’s ability to multiply within the body, thus robbing them of some of their effectiveness.
Phase III Therapies — Differentiated Cell Precursors
Nerve cell Precursors: Stroke repair, MS, ALS, Cerebral Palsy, Dementia, memory loss, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury. Blindness. Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Kidney repair, liver repair, pancreas, brain cells, intestinal disorders, bone and joint problems. Liver/Pancreas Precursors: Diabetes Type I and II, Hepatitis and liver disease, liver cancer. Hematopoietic Stem Cells: Anemia. Bone marrow disorders. Immune disorders. Cancer. Chronic Infections. Lupus. Rheumatoid Arthritis Skin Stem Cells: Burns; Skin grafts; Skin disorders Muscle Precursor Cells: Muscular Dystrophy, cardiomyopathy, heart attack damage. Lung cell precursors: Emphysema, Lung Disorders Tutorial Introduction to Stem Cells
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