Advances in Stem cell Biology and its Impact on Medicine

Imagine how would it be, if any of you are able to take out cells from your own skin and use them to cure multiple health issues, right from your hair fall to heart disease? Although it seems to be quite unrealistic, it should be noted that today the world is at the cusp of the stem cells revolution!
“Challenges still remain and have to be sorted but should be necessarily be considered as the stepping stones of the success!”.
The scientific contingent across the world is intrigued with multiple nitty-gritty associated with stem cells and their application in the medicine, such as, the way these cells are communicating inside our bodies, how do they recognize the site of injury, mechanism behind their paracrine effect, homing mechanism, etc.; and the list is still very long! However, the intense research in the last couple of decades has provided various important information related to the developmental, physiological and morphological processes that lead to the structural as well as functional contribution for the tissue.
We started with the idea that human embryos have the key towards immortality, went through a lot of ethical concerns, diverted our attention towards less potent yet readily available adult sources of stem cells and finally landed at a point where adult Stem Cells are reprogrammed to inherit the same potency as that of the embryonic stem cells! Huh, long journey isn’t it? It was certainly not an easy task though; the road was full of many challenges. The journey will end at a final destination, wherein scientists are looking forward to create multiple functional organs ready to be transplanted in a risk-free manner!
It was the mouse that changed the direction of the medicine!
Probably in the early years of the 1990’s, scientists were able to identify the power of stem cells in metamorphosing into cells of multiple tissue-specific origins. The community was quite amazed at the idea that forced them to divert their attention in exploring the power of mouse embryonic stem cells, which went on to create an entire mouse model that was completely normal, but derived from embryonic stem cells grown in a petri dish! The experiment proved to be a breakthrough and quite instrumental in making people believe the potential of regenerative medicine.
In the late 1990s, when the master key of human embryonic stem cells, isolated from human embryos was ready to be used to unlock the mysteries of diseases and their therapeutic outcome; the ethical controversy ensued. Many social reformers and political leaders lobbied against unethical exploitation of human embryos to be used for medical research and development.
With the implementation of stringent guidelines for the same that were quite influential and well beyond the boundaries; scientists moved their focus from embryonic stem cells to their adult counterparts. However, due to limited potency, the adult stem cells were not much fascinating to them at all; and the struggle to find out a comparable source continued till the time stem cell revolution took place in 2006, wherein scientists were able to reprogramme adult stem cells into embryonic stem cells. These cells were named to be as the induced pluripotent stem cells.
The future of medicine?
Currently, stem cells have been noted to be as the boon to the therapeutic module and are being used obsessively by creating an endless supply of different types of cells to study disease models, drug testing and another mechanism. Through different types of studies conducted all over the world, induced pluripotent stem cells were being modified into lung cells, cardio fibroblasts, hepatocytes, neurons etc. and were found to be fully functional.
The challenges in printing the tissue
Scientists are also struggling to produce a functional 3-dimensional model for diseased tissue with the help of living cells captured inside the printable material; quite similar to that of natural tissue. Through the establishment of complex network comparable to that of the real world inside the body, it is now possible to shed more light on factors that are responsible for the diseased condition, lost functions, and other pathological disorders.
Conclusion
For the effective translation of scientific understanding to the clinical practice; a lot of challenges still need to be solved. As for today’s condition, both scientific, as well as medicinal community, is flaunting to have personalized medicine in the form of stem cells, readily available to treat multiple health issues that may ail us; in the near future.

Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

CAN STEM CELL THERAPY BE AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OPTION FOR LIVER CIRRHOSIS?

The liver is the largest solid organ in body and is vital to body’s metabolic functions and immune system. It performs large number of functions such as process nutrients, extract energy, filter toxic chemicals including alcohols from the body, help in blood clotting, store iron and many vitamins etc. Without a functioning liver, it becomes very difficult for person to survive.
Treatment approaches for Liver Cirrhosis

Liver cirrhosis is a slowly progressive disease in which scar tissue replaces the healthy tissues of liver. The formation of scar tissue prevents the liver functioning affecting the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs and naturally produced toxins in the body. Treatment for liver cirrhosis is very necessary; otherwise it can be fatal for a person. Currently, it is not possible to reverse the damage done to liver; however progression of disease can be stopped depending on the cause of it.
If you are having cirrhosis due to alcoholic liver disease, doctor will prescribe you to stop drinking completely. If non alcoholic disease has caused liver cirrhosis to you, doctor will recommend losing weight through physical activity and healthy eating for reducing fat, scarring in liver. Medications such as ursodial will be prescribed if you have liver disease due to hepatitis, infections, bile duct disease etc.
At advanced stage of liver cirrhosis, your doctor will consider a liver transplant after they have ruled out all other treatment options. The liver transplant is potential curative option, the high costs, lack of donors, immunosupression issues make it a limited option. There is a strong dearth for developing alternative treatment modality.

Stem cell therapy for Liver disease
With the advancements made in regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy is being explored by researchers for curing liver cirrhosis. Stem cells are the naïve cells of the body, which can be differentiated to any cells if provided proper enviornement. This remarkable potential of stem cells has been exploited by the medical science as a possible cure for a variety of debilitating diseases.
Various types of Stem Cells had been investigated as a regenerative therapy for liver cirrhosis. These stem cells include bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), bone marrow mononuclear cells (MNC) and peripheral CD34 positive cells. Some early studies have shown encouraging results in patients who had autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation.
The stem cells can be harvested from potent sources such as bone marrow or adipose tissue and can be injected back into the body at the targeted place. These stem cells then can be differentiated into liver cells with the help of certain growth factors and immunological factors such as cytokines. The stem cell injection can also be coupled with stem cells stimulation therapy, wherein resident stem cells are stimulated to multiply and differentiate inside the body as a booster effect.
A clinical study at PGIMER, Chandigarh carried out on patients of liver cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis through the Stem Cell Therapy that involved stimulating a patient's bone marrow by an injection called (Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (GCSF) that produces new cells called hematopoietic stem cells. With the stem cell therapy, the survival was better in the patients who have taken therapy. The patients showed improvement in nutrition, better control of ascites, reduction in liver stiffness, lesser infection episodes and improvement in liver function.
The use of stem cells for treating liver failure or liver cirrhosis is still at a very nascent stage, but in near future it will definitely come up as potential treatment approach for suffering with liver problem.

DIABETES MANAGEMENT: IS A CURE POSSIBLE?

Diabetes has become an epidemic disease with over 425 million people affected worldwide that causing huge socio-economic burden to society. Diabetes affects the body’s ability to produce or use insulin, a hormone that allows body to turn glucose into energy.

Stem cell therapy for Diabetes

While diabetes can be managed with medications and life style changes, at present it cannot be cured. As a result, it is a lifelong disabling disease that can severely impact the quality of life of those who are afflicted. For many of people having diabetes means living with daily insulin injections and the long-term health damage especially affecting kidney, eye, heart and blood vessel.

With recent discoveries in the field of regenerative medicine, however, researchers have begun to evaluate if a new treatment approach can work — can stem cells be used for diabetes?

Stem cells are naive cells of human body and they have the unique ability of self renewal and multi lineage differentiation potential and repair the place of damage inside the human system. The procedure of stem cell therapy is very quick, painless, simple and safe, and it is completed within only few hours. Since these stem cells come from patient’s own body, there is also no risk of rejection or side effects. For results to fully develop, it usually takes up to four months after the stem cells are injected into human organism during treatment. In the course of that time, a patient notices continuous improvements in his/her condition.

How does stem cell therapy work in Diabetes?

Stem cell therapy using mesenchymal stem cells in diabetic patients take advantage of two attributes these cells possess. Firstly, they have the regenerative potential to repair beta cells, and secondly they can modulate the immune system that inhibits autoimmune attack on pancreatic beta cells. The stem cells derived from the patient’s own tissues can ‘re-educate’ the immune system so that it no longer attacks the beta cells . The stem cell therapy approach promotes beta cell function, thereby reducing or eliminating the requirement for exogenous insulin.

β cell therapy for Diabetes

Islet cells are clusters of cells scattered throughout the pancreas and their function is to produce and release hormones that regulate blood sugar level in body. The majority of the islets are beta cells, which produce insulin to use glucose into energy fuel for body. Directly replacing the missing insulin-producing cells is coming up as potential approach to recover normal insulin production and cure patients. In recent years, many studies have been carried out to generate β-cells through differentiation of stem cells. Transplantation of these beta cells provides a better alternative to whole-organ transplantation.

Still cellular therapy involving mesenchymal stem cells and β cells is at nascent stage, however with the more studies in human subject, we expect their findings will pave the new door of stem cell based therapies for persons suffering with Diabetes.

Mr. Vipul Jain, Founder and CEO, Advancells Stem Cell Therapy