Q: Ive been reading a lot about stem cells recently. Willstem cell research change the treatment of heart disease?

A: Theres some exciting early data where scientists have been able to use stem cells for regeneration of cardiac tissue, in particular certain parts of the heart or maybe even an entire heart in mice or rats.

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However, its not been done yet in humans reliably and that would be the next step. If the research bears out, we may see this as an option for heart patients in perhaps five to 10 years.

The area where stem cells might first be used is in patients who have had damage to their heart because of a heart attack. These patients have scarring on the heart and that area of the heart is not beating anymore. If we can regenerate cardiac tissue to replace this scarred tissue, the hope is to get the heart fully working again.

Growing whole new hearts will likely be later down the line and will depend on the success of the research.

Preventive cardiologistHaitham Ahmed, MD, MPH

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A project of the university's transfusion medicine department, the stem cell bank would roll out stem cell therapy to patients of thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.

A public sector stem cell bank is set to come up at UP's King George's Medical University. A project of the university's transfusion medicine department, the stem cell bank would roll out stem cell therapy to patients of thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia. The proposal is awaiting clearance from state department of medical education.

Stem cells are found in human bone marrow and can be derived from the umbilical cord which contains blood vessels that connect baby in the womb to the mother to ingest nutrition required for development.

Research on the therapeutic use of stem cells is underway in US, Europe, China, South East Asia besides India. In UP, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) and KGMU are both trying to explore the potential of stem cells to treat various health problems. SGPGI has, so far, restricted itself to use of allogenic (stem cells derived from bone marrow of a person), while KGMU has used stem cells derived from the umbilical cord.

KGMU has sustained access to umbilical cord because of a very developed obstetrics and gynaecology department. The proposal is worth Rs 9 crore including infrastructure cost. Stem cell bank promises to become financially self-sustaining within 2-3 years of inception.

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Sensational 8-Year-Old Violinist Living With Painful Disease

WINSTON-SALEM, NC Its hard to walk through life without hitting a sour note or two. In Winston-Salem, there's a young boy with talent beyond his years and a disease that nearly crippled him. His father gave up his career to take care of his son and to get him healthy.

We only listen to classical music at home, said Lucas Sant, a father of three living in Winston-Salem. He sits with his youngest, Helen, 2, on his lap. His second oldest daughter, Maria-Anita, 7, sits on his right and his only son, Caesar, 8, sits to his left.

Hes telling WFMY News 2s reporter, Hope Ford, about his sons remarkable talent.

When he was just a baby, we bought Baby Einstein, and you know, they have the animals and the music. So, we bought him a little toy piano, Lucas began. And one day, when he was seven months old, we heard this music coming from the room. It sounded like the toy piano, but it was the music from the Baby Einstein.

Lucas turned to his wife, Aline, with a knowing smile and said, We have our work to do with this boy.

Videos uploaded to YouTube, show a baby Caesar, waving his arms along to classical music such as Beethoven, almost as if he were conducting a symphony.

A baby Caesar and his father listening to classical music. (Photo: Sant family)

Violin lessons started the age of two.*

He started playing Vivaldi. He would pick up things very quick, said Lucas. Everybody was very impressed.

GoFundMe

All the Sant children are homeschooled and it would be no surprise to learn Caesar is just as brilliant with a pencil as he is with an instrument. The young boy is ahead in math and other subjects and earned a black belt in karate at 5-years-old.

Lucas sat in his seat, as baby Helen decided she wanted to leave the room to see what her mom was up to. As she ran into the next room, Lucas continued his story.

Immediately, he started to get sick. Before five, he had the first stroke.

Caesar has sickle cell anemia.

You never know anything until you experience, Lucas said in a soft voice.

Sickle cell anemia is a blood disease. Normal red blood cells are round and flexible to carry oxygen throughout the body. Caesars blood cells are sickle-shaped or bent and get stuck, slowing the flood of blood and oxygen.

Lucas explained, Its different. Its my son and I never seen this thing.

Caesar, who up until this point sat quietly next to his father with his violin in his lap said, I feel bad. I dont feel good when Im sick.

The curly haired violinist has three strokes before the age of six. The first two left his arms weak, but he rebounded, performing the National Anthem at the Grasshoppers Game in 2013.

The third one was a different stroke, said his dad.

Caesar lost feeling in his arms and legs after his third stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed for nearly six months.

At first, even his eyes was not moving. But, when he did wake up, all of a sudden your son not walk, not run, not stand up, Lucas said as if he was still trying to make sense of it all.

Doctors told the Sant family, It is very unlikely your son is going to die but do not expect much from him.

Lucas paused for a moment and continued, But the good thing there, you really meet God. What am I supposed to do God? Please tell me.

The only thing that seemed right at the time, was for Lucas to give up his career. The father of three was a neuroscientist at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Forget about my life. I said, Im going give my life to this boy.

Young Caesar in the hospital. (Photo: Sant family)

The Sant family built a small play gym in the basement of their home. Here, Lucas would help Caesar with physical therapy, as they could not afford to hire someone full time to help him regain strength and movement in his arms and legs.

Some days and good and some are bad. Three years after his last stroke, Caesar still winces in pain as he goes through his exercises. But, he finds moments to laugh with his siblings, who cheer him on. And as an 8-year-old, he is a little hard to get under control. For Lucas, the physical therapy takes a toll on his as well.

First, Im not a physical therapist. I have a lot of patience but its very hard for you see your son one way, said Lucas. Sometime, we have to take breaks because it is difficult and it sometimes weighs on my own health.

But, once again, Caesar regained his strength, returning to the Grasshoppers stadium in 2017 to perform the National Anthem once again.

Every month, Caesar and his family travel to Charlotte for blood transfusions to lower the risk of Caesar having another stroke. He'll have to do this for the unforeseeable future and there are risks.*

Frequent blood transfusions can lead to iron overload which is sometimes fatal. Caesar's family is trying for a bone marrow transplant which has a higher percentage of curing his sickle cell disease.

They have a donor- his baby sister, Helen.

As if she knew her name had been mentioned, the young girl, called the boss of the family, walked back into the room, sharing bites of her rice with her siblings and father.

Lucas and his wife wanted another child, but they also wanted to ensure the next child would not have the sickle cell anemia trait. they also wanted to ensure they would have a 100 percent genetic match for Caesar's procedure.

Maria-Anita was also born with sickle cell anemia, but unlike her brother, has yet to experience any complications.

So, Aline got pregnant via in vitro fertilization. Doctors only planted cells that were a genetic match and only healthy cells were selected. Thus, Helen was conceived and at birth, her umbilical cord was collected.

Helen, was born sickle-cell free.

They took the stem cells from the umbilical cord and now they have perfect cells, to do the transplant on him, said Lucas.

The Sant family is trying to raise money for a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. The process is long and costly. According to Johns Hopkins, one hospital that specializes in bone marrow/stem cell transplants, they say the cost can run as high as $500,000.

However, sickle cell anemia can be cured with the procedure.

Offering her big brother another big of food, Helen, Caesars sisterly hero, smiled and ran off.

Lucas continued to explain the familys financial situation.

Its difficult, with me not having a job. But, we have had people help us along the way. But, we are still trying so hard to raise money for the surgery.

A GoFundMe account was started in 2013. To date, $38,000 has been raised. The family also started a website to give updates and sell merchandise to help raise funds as well.

Caesar still walks with a limp and must be careful when sitting down. Lucas looked at his son and said Were so happy because he got back. He got back, but the job is not done. Faith, hope, these things so real. Cause if dont have what you can do? You give up right there.

Caesar piped in again, Sometimes I tell my father, papa, I dont know when Im going to be back, but God is always with me.

Lucas isnt giving up. His hope, to have son healthy by 2018.

And Caesars hope?

I want to be a musician and a conductor.

*This story has been updated to correct information. Lessons for Caesar started at the age of 2 and 300ml of his blood is replaced every month during his blood transfusions.

5 Facts About Sickle Cell Disease (CDC)

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Sensational 8-Year-Old Violinist Living With Painful Disease

WINSTON-SALEM, NC Its hard to walk through life without hitting a sour note or two. In Winston-Salem, there's a young boy with talent beyond his years and a disease that nearly crippled him. His father gave up his career to take care of his son and to get him healthy.

Child Prodigy

We only listen to classical music at home," said Lucas Sant, a father of three living in Winston-Salem. He sits with his youngest, Helen, 2, on his lap. His second oldest daughter, Maria-Anita, 7, sits on his right and his only son, Caesar, 8, sits to his left.

Hes telling WFMY News 2s reporter, Hope Ford, about his sons remarkable talent.

When he was just a baby, we bought Baby Einstein, and you know, they have the animals and the music. So, we bought him a little toy piano, Lucas began. And one day, when he was seven months old, we heard this music coming from the room. It sounded like the toy piano, but it was the music from the Baby Einstein.

Lucas turned to his wife, Aline, with a knowing smile and said, We have our work to do with this boy.

Videos uploaded to YouTube, show a baby Caesar, waving his arms along to classical music such as Beethoven, almost as if he were conducting a symphony.

A baby Caesar and his father listening to classical music. (Photo: Sant family)

Violin lessons started the age of two.*

He started playing Vivaldi. He would pick up things very quick, said Lucas. Everybody was very impressed.

GoFundMe

All the Sant children are homeschooled and it would be no surprise to learn Caesar is just as brilliant with a pencil as he is with an instrument. The young boy is ahead in math and other subjects and earned a black belt in karate at 5-years-old.

A Painful Disease

Lucas sat in his seat, as baby Helen decided she wanted to leave the room to see what her mom was up to. As she ran into the next room, Lucas continued his story.

Immediately, he started to get sick. Before five, he had the first stroke.

Caesar has sickle cell anemia.

You never know anything until you experience, Lucas said in a soft voice.

Sickle cell anemia is a blood disease. Normal red blood cells are round and flexible to carry oxygen throughout the body. Caesars blood cells are sickle-shaped or bent and get stuck, slowing the flood of blood and oxygen.

Lucas explained, Its different. Its my son and I never seen this thing.

Caesar, who up until this point sat quietly next to his father with his violin in his lap said, I feel bad. I dont feel good when Im sick.

The curly haired violinist has three strokes before the age of six. The first two left his arms weak, but he rebounded, performing the National Anthem at the Grasshoppers Game in 2013.

The third one was a different stroke, said his dad.

Caesar lost feeling in his arms and legs after his third stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed for nearly six months.

At first, even his eyes was not moving. But, when he did wake up, all of a sudden your son not walk, not run, not stand up, Lucas said as if he was still trying to make sense of it all.

Doctors told the Sant family, It is very unlikely your son is going to die but do not expect much from him.

Lucas paused for a moment and continued, But the good thing there, you really meet God. What am I supposed to do God? Please tell me.

The only thing that seemed right at the time, was for Lucas to give up his career. The father of three was a neuroscientist at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Forget about my life. I said, Im going give my life to this boy.

Young Caesar in the hospital. (Photo: Sant family)

The Sant family built a small play gym in the basement of their home. Here, Lucas would help Caesar with physical therapy, as they could not afford to hire someone full time to help him regain strength and movement in his arms and legs.

Some days and good and some are bad. Three years after his last stroke, Caesar still winces in pain as he goes through his exercises. But, he finds moments to laugh with his siblings, who cheer him on. And as an 8-year-old, he is a little hard to get under control. For Lucas, the physical therapy takes a toll on his as well.

First, Im not a physical therapist. I have a lot of patience but its very hard for you see your son one way, said Lucas. Sometime, we have to take breaks because it is difficult and it sometimes weighs on my own health.

But, once again, Caesar regained his strength, returning to the Grasshoppers stadium in 2017 to perform the National Anthem once again.

A Small Miracle

Every month, Caesar and his family travel to Charlotte for blood transfusions to lower the risk of Caesar having another stroke. He'll have to do this for the unforeseeable future and there are risks.*

Frequent blood transfusions can lead to iron overload which is sometimes fatal. Caesar's family is trying for a bone marrow transplant which has a higher percentage of curing his sickle cell disease.

They have a donor- his baby sister, Helen.

As if she knew her name had been mentioned, the young girl, called the boss of the family, walked back into the room, sharing bites of her rice with her siblings and father.

Lucas and his wife wanted another child, but they also wanted to ensure the next child would not have the sickle cell anemia trait. they also wanted to ensure they would have a 100 percent genetic match for Caesar's procedure.

Maria-Anita was also born with sickle cell anemia, but unlike her brother, has yet to experience any complications.

So, Aline got pregnant via in vitro fertilization. Doctors only planted cells that were a genetic match and only healthy cells were selected. Thus, Helen was conceived and at birth, her umbilical cord was collected.

Helen, was born sickle-cell free.

They took the stem cells from the umbilical cord and now they have perfect cells, to do the transplant on him, said Lucas.

The Next Step

The Sant family is trying to raise money for a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. The process is long and costly. According to Johns Hopkins, one hospital that specializes in bone marrow/stem cell transplants, they say the cost can run as high as $500,000.

However, sickle cell anemia can be cured with the procedure.

Offering her big brother another big of food, Helen, Caesars sisterly hero, smiled and ran off.

Lucas continued to explain the familys financial situation.

Its difficult, with me not having a job. But, we have had people help us along the way. But, we are still trying so hard to raise money for the surgery.

A GoFundMe account was started in 2013. To date, $38,000 has been raised. The family also started a website to give updates and sell merchandise to help raise funds as well.

Caesar still walks with a limp and must be careful when sitting down. Lucas looked at his son and said Were so happy because he got back. He got back, but the job is not done. Faith, hope, these things so real. Cause if dont have what you can do? You give up right there.

Caesar piped in again, Sometimes I tell my father, papa, I dont know when Im going to be back, but God is always with me.

Lucas isnt giving up. His hope, to have son healthy by 2018.

And Caesars hope?

I want to be a musician and a conductor.

*This story has been updated to correct information. Lessons for Caesar started at the age of 2 and 300ml of his blood is replaced every month during his blood transfusions.

5 Facts About Sickle Cell Disease (CDC)

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UPI.com

Vitamin A deficiency is detrimental to blood stem cells Science Daily Therefore, steady replenishment of these cells is indispensable. They arise from so-called "adult" stem cells that divide continuously. In addition, there is a group of very special stem cells in the bone marrow that were first discovered in 2008 by a ... Vitamin A deficiency harms stem cells, study saysUPI.com all 2 news articles »

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Macao Researchers Develop Room Temperature Storage Technology for Stem Cells

he University of Macao (UM) researchers developed a new way to store stem cells at room temperature for a minimum of 7 days without the loss of viability and biological activities, the universitys said in a press release Thursday.

UM said its researchers from Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) has developed a technology which does not rely on the traditional cryopreservation method that requires costly equipment and tedious cryopreservation procedures, enabling cell storage and transport under ambient conditions.

Xu Renhe, a professor at the FHS of UM, has nearly two decades of research experiences in stem cells and their medical applications. He and his doctoral student Jiang Bin and postdoctoral researcher Yan Li, together with Dr. Chris Wong Koon Ho, an assistant professor at the FHS, engaged in the related research study titled Spheroidal Formation Preserves Human Stem Cells for Prolonged Environment under Ambient Conditions for Facile Storage and Transportation.

The related paper has been published in Biomaterials, a renowned international journal in the field of biological materials.

The study found that preparing human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) to form spheroids with the hanging-drop method or other methods can reduce the cell metabolism and increase the cell viability.

Stored in a sealed vessel filled with regular culture medium, under ambient conditions without oxygen supply, the viability of hMSC in spheroids remained over 90 percent even after 11 days. This method is also applicable to higher pluripotent human embryonic stem cells.

With this new technology, only regular culture tubes and media, which cost only several U.S. dollars, are required for storing and shipping probably any type of stem cells and non-stem cells that can aggregate, within a temperature range from 10 to 37C (centigrade).

Stem cells are found in various locations of the body such as bone marrow, blood, brain, spinal cord, skin, and corneal limbus. They are responsible for regenerating and repairing damaged tissues and organs in the body.

Have a terrific weekend.

cells, conditions, human, Macao, research, stem, storage, technology

Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of The Red Roadmasters Technical Report on the US Major Market Indices, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.

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Ive been a fan of stem cells ever since I discovered ReLuma and AQ Skin Solutions, both of which use human conditioned media from adult adipose fat. Back then, it was a leap of face based on research surrounding stem cells and wound healing. Ever since, I have relied on my own experience and reports from the Truth In Aging community stem cells seem to work. So, I was excited (and vindicated) to read new research on stem cells and aging.

Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found adult stem cells collected from human fat have a potential use to treat aging. Their findings are published in the journal, Stem Cells. The posh name for fat is adipose (worth keeping in mind if you want to bewilder a loved one by asking them if your bottom looks adipose in these pants). Anyway, adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), create more proteins than researchers initially thought even when harvested from the elderly.

Our study shows these cells are very robust, even when they are collected from older patients, said Ivona Percec, M.D., director of Basic Science Research in the Center for Human Appearance and the study's lead author. It also shows these cells can be potentially used safely in the future because they require minimal manipulation and maintenance. Now, notice Dr. Percec uses the word safely. This is also a useful development, because we have never really known whether administering stem cells as anti-agers was really a safe thing to do.

Interestingly, adipose stem cells behave differently to other stem cells such as fibroblasts from the skin in that they are more stable over time and the rate at which they multiply stays consistent even as we age. I found some research from 2013 that speculated that these cells may be the same in infants through to the elderly. Dr. Perecs research seems to have clinched that this is indeed the case.

When you harvest adipose derived stem cells, they can become virtually any type of cell and put to the service of anti-aging, as well as healing purposes. Recent research has shown that they are a powerful source of skin regeneration because of their capability to provide not just cells but also tons of cytokines, or growth factors. The result, as one research paper puts it, is great promise for applications in repair of skin, rejuvenation of aging skin and aging-related skin lesions.

Adipose stem cells were discovered 40 years after the identification of bone marrow stem cells, opening up a new era of active stem cell therapy. It looks as if we are on the threshold of much more discovery in this field. For instance, Dr. Percec and her team are taking the research a step further to look at how tight the DNA is wound around proteins inside the cells and the way this affects aging.

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Colorado State University is one of multiple research institutions that uses stem cells from aborted fetal tissue to research HIV and AIDS, a practice some say is unnecessary and immoral, but researchers say is essential.

Emily Faulkner, a senior biology major at CSU and founder of the anti-abortion group, CSU Students for Life, has been advocating against the Universitys use of fetal tissue for moral and legal reasons. Faulkner believes the University has illegally obtained fetal tissue for research and still could be after similar allegations against Planned Parenthood and CSU arose in 2015.

Earlier this semester, Faulkner hung posters that said CSU buys trafficked baby parts but says they were ripped down an hour later.

For a community that expresses tolerance for (many other communities) it seems to be very intolerant of the pro-life community, Faulkner said. Its really hard to open peoples minds to actually see whats going on, especially when theres so much intolerance.

In January, a Republican panel from the House of Representatives released a report suggesting some Planned Parenthood clinics and firms sold fetal tissue for profit, which is illegal under federal law. The report concluded over a year-long investigation after similar allegations against Planned Parenthood arose in 2015.

The report cited documents indicating the University paid the tissue procurement organizations StemExpress and Advanced Bioscience Resources $2,000 and $100,000, respectively, for fetal tissue between 2010 and 2015. It is illegal to buy fetal tissue, but federal law does not specify how much can be charged for shipping and handling. The report questions whether or not ABR and StemExpress donated the fetal tissue or sold it for profit.

Faulkner brought up CSUs use of fetal tissue this semester in response to the report. She and CSU Students for Life collected signatures on a petition that asked CSU President Tony Frank to investigate whether or not CSU was involved in illegal obtainment of fetal tissue and to acknowledge its use in research.

In response to the 2015 allegations, Frank wrote to Rep. Doug Lamborn stating that CSU was compliant with all state and federal laws in acquiring fetal tissue. According to Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Mike Hooker, and the Vice President for Research, Alan Rudolph, the University has continued to follow the state and federal laws.

(Part of) my job as an institutional official is making sure that we sustain the highest standards for practice even beyond what the feds recommend, Rudolph said.

In addition to legal concerns, Faulkner also has moral concerns. She said that though abortion may be legal, that does not mean it is right. She expressed concern about fetal tissue and organs being harvested from late-term fetuses with beating hearts.

Its quite inhumane, Faulkner said. Were talking about actual human beings that have livers, brains and hearts. Theyre actually living, breathing beings.

Faulkner said fetal tissue should not be necessary for research on curing or preventing HIV and AIDS, as there is also gene replacement therapy, which takes HIV out of infected cells, and pre-exposure prophylaxis treatment, which consists of taking a pill daily to prevent HIV. Faulkner also said that researchers could use induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) created from adult cells instead of stem cells from fetal tissue.

Pluripotent cells have the ability to become any cell in the body. However, according to Rudolph, iPS stem cells from adults cannot be used in CSUs research on curing and bettering HIV and AIDS, which is conducted by CSU virology professor Ramesh Akkina.

Fetal tissue research, especially the work that Ramesh does, cannot currently be done any other way, Rudolph said.

Akkina uses stem cells from fetal tissue to recreate human immune systems in mice, which Rudolph said are multicellular systems. Akkinas humanized mice can be used to study the effects of countermeasures, including therapeutics, antibodies, vaccines or biologics, on a human immune system meant to improve or cure HIV.

Rudolph said that while scientists are looking into how to conduct research on HIV and AIDS using iPS stem cells, the cells are more limited in their ability to create other types of cells than stem cells from fetal tissue are. He said that cells from fetal tissue are so far back in their development that they have the ability to create complex functions that are lost when cells become older. Cells are more pluripotent.

Faulkner said she hopes that scientists research and work with iPS stem cells.

The lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS are very important, but so are the lives of the unborn, Faulkner wrote in a message to the Collegian. We cannot forget equality for all.

Collegian reporter MQ Borocz can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @MQBorocz22.

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Aqua Botanical Stem Cell Therapy

Ethical concerns have slowed embryonic medical research into applications for stem cells. Also, the embryonic stem cells can unpredictably cause cancer in the treated patient.

New research demonstrate that Stem cell nutrition dereived from aqua botanical source supports the natural role of adult stem cells. These plant stem cell extracts are typically derived from certain edible algae that grows in fresh water.

When there is an injury or a stress to an organ, compounds are released that reach the bone marrow and trigger the release of stem cells. Stem Cells can be thought of as master cells. Stem cells circulate and function to replace dysfunctional cells, thus fulfilling the natural process of maintaining optimal health

Dr. Robert Sampson, MD on stem cell nutrition - "... we have a product that has been shown and demonstrated in the patent to increase the level of adult circulating stem cells by up to 30%. It seems to me we're having a great opportunity here to optimize the body's natural ability to create health."

Stem cell nutrition are typically aquatic botanicals and support wellness by assisting the body in its ability to maintain healthy stem cell physiology, production, and placement. Just as antioxidants are important to protect your cells from free radical damage, stem cell nutrition is equally important to support your stem cells in maintaining proper organ and tissue functioning in your body.

The health benefits of having more stem cells in the blood circulation have been demonstrated by numerous scientific studies. It would be too long here to summarize this vast body of scientific data. I simply suggest you research the work of Dr. Donald Orlic at the National Institute of Health.

The theory that Adult Stem Cells are nothing less than the human body's natural self-renewal system has profound implications for every area of modern medicine. The idea that heart disease, diabetes, liver degeneration, and other conditions could be things of the past is no longer science fiction; because of recent Adult Stem Cell research breakthroughs, these are real possibilities in the short term.

Stem cells are defined as cells with the unique capacity to self-replicate throughout the entire life of an organism and to differentiate into cells of various tissues. Most cells of the body are specialized and play a well-defined role in the body. For example, brain cells respond to electrical signals from other brain cells and release neurotransmitters; cells of the retina are activated by light, and pancreatic -cells produce insulin. These cells, called somatic cells, will never differentiate into other types of cells or even proliferate. By contrast, stem cells are primitive cells that remain undifferentiated until they receive a signal prompting them to become various types of specialized cells.

Dr. Cliff Minter - "Stem cells are the most powerful cells in the body. We know that stem cells, once they're circulating in the bloodstream, will travel to any area of the body that has been compromised or damaged and turn into healthy cells. There have been controversial discussions about the new stem cells found in embryos, but the truth is that everyone has adult stem cells in their own bodies. We are all created from stem cells.

As a child or a young adult, your body automatically releases stem cells whenever you injure yourself. That's why you heal so fast when you are younger. After about age 35, we don't heal as fast anymore, because the stem cells aren't released the same way as when we are younger. Stem cell nutrition helps all of us heal our bodies. If you look at the New England Journal of Medicine, you'll find that the number one indicator of a healthy heart is the number of stem cells circulating in the body. Stem cell nutrition is the organic and all-natural way to stimulate the bone marrow to release adult stem cells into the bloodstream.

By taking stem cell nutrition, you can maintain optimum health and aid your body in healing itself. It's certainly a better way to recuperate from an illness than using prescription drugs, because even when a medication works, it can often be hard on your liver and the rest of your body. Stem cell nutrition has no negative side effects. This makes it a powerful approach to healing and good health in general.

I found out about stem cell nutrition after someone asked for my opinion on it. I did some research and found it to be one of the greatest ways to slow down aging that we have. Aging is nothing more than the breakdown of cells. Stem cell nutrition combats that action. As cells break down, stem cell nutrition replaces them with healthy cells. This is the greatest, most natural anti-aging method I know. I was skeptical at first, but the results I've personally seen in people I've talked with have been wide-ranged. Lots of people have reported an increase in energy and better sleeping patterns.

I've seen people with arthritis in various parts of their bodies reverse the disease, and people with asthma end up with their lungs totally clear. One person that was on oxygen almost 24/7 is now totally off of oxygen. Two ladies who suffered badly from PMS told me they were 100 percent symptom-free within weeks of starting the stem cell nutrition. Two people I know had tennis elbow which usually takes about six to nine months to heal. Within weeks of taking stem cell nutrition, both report their "tennis elbow" is gone. It makes sense, because stem cells go to whatever area is compromised and turn into healthy cells.

I use stem cell nutrition as a preventative. I've noticed an increase in my energy level and an improved sleeping pattern. Stem cell nutrition has zero negative side effects, is very powerful, and we know how it works. It's good for children as well as adults. This is the best, most natural way I know to optimum health. If you just want to use it for prevention, this is the best thing I know for staying healthy. And if you do those and regaining optimum health. I recommend it to everybody."

Dr. Cliff Minter (retired) graduated from Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine. He completed his residency at the Hugar Surgery Center in the Hines Veteran Administration Hospital in Illinois before going into private practice in Ventura, CA. Dr. Minter is a national and international speaker on the subjects of business and nutritional products.

The Stem Cell Theory of Renewal proposes that stem cells are naturally released by the bone marrow and travel via the bloodstream toward tissues to promote the body's natural process of renewal. When an organ is subjected to a process that requires renewal, such as the natural aging process, this organ releases compounds that trigger the release of stem cells from the bone marrow. The organ also releases compounds that attracts stem cells to this organ. The released stem cells then follow the concentration gradient of these compounds and leave the blood circulation to migrate to the organ where they proliferate and differentiate into cells of this organ, supporting the natural process of renewal.

Most of the cells in the human body are specialists assigned to a specific organ or type of tissue, such as the neuronal cells that wire the brain and central nervous system. Stem cells are different. When they divide, they can produce either more stem cells, or they can serve as progenitors that differentiate into specialized cells as they mature. Hence the name, because specialist cells can "stem" from them. The potential to differentiate into specialist cells whose populations in the body have become critically depleted as the result of illness or injury is what makes stem cells so potentially valuable to medical research.

The idea is that if the fate of a batch of stem cells could be directed down specific pathways, they could be grown, harvested, and then transplanted into a problem area. If all went according to plan, these new cells would overcome damaged or diseased cells, leading to healing and recovery. "The life of a stem cell can be viewed as a hierarchical branching process, where the cell is faced with a series of fate switches," Schaffer says. "Our goal is to identify the cell fate switches, and then provide stem cells with the proper signals to guide them down a particular developmental trajectory."

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. 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. 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.

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. Scientists believe it should be possible to harness this ability to turn stem cells into a super "repair kit" for the body.

Scientist and author Christian Drapeau explains how the Stem Cell enhancers function to maximize human performance - Supporting the release of stem cells from the bone marrow and increasing the number of circulating stem cells improves various aspects of human health. For very active and sports focused people, Stem Cells are the raw materials to repair micro-tears and micro-injuries created during training. The results, according to Drapeau, are that active people, whether former NBA stars or amateur weekenders, can exercise more intensely at each training session with the ultimate consequence of greater performance.

Theoretically, it should be possible to use stem cells to generate healthy tissue to replace that either damaged by trauma, or compromised by disease. Among the conditions which scientists believe may eventually be treated by stem cell therapy are Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, burns and spinal cord damage.

Both of my big dogs have gained their youth back. I am a true believer in Stem Cell Nutrition for pets as it has provided a spectacular change in both Ginger and Rowdy. Sonya, IN

Stem cell nutrition for dogs, horses and other animals are specially formulated to be a delectable treat for your animal. The pet chewables and equine blends make it easy to provide your animals with this valuable nutritional supplement. The most common story is that of old, tired and sluggish dogs turned within a week or so into active, alert dogs running around like puppies. The same was observed in horses. Old horses who used to remain standing in the barn or under a tree, sluggish or stricken by too much discomfort to walk around, suddenly began moving about, and at times running and bucking like young colts. One of the most common reports was obvious improvements in hoof health and coat appearance.

times. When there is an injury or a stress to an organ of your beloved pet or horse, compounds are released that reach the bone marrow and trigger the release of stem cells. Stem Cells can be thought of as master cells. Stem cells circulate and function to replace dysfunctional cells, thus fulfilling the natural process of maintaining optimal health.

As they do in humans, adult stem cells reside in animals bone marrow, where they are released whenever there is a problem somewhere in the body. Looking back on stem cell research, we realize that most studies have been done with animals, mostly mice, but also with dogs, horses, pigs, sheep and cattle. These studies have revealed that animal stem cells conduct themselves the same way human stem cells do. When there is an injury or a stress to an organ of your beloved pet or horse, compounds are released that reach the bone marrow and trigger the release of stem cells. The stem cells then travel to tissues and organs in need of help to regain optimal health.

Eve-Marie Lucerne - Eve-Marie keeps nine horses, all older thoroughbreds, and was eager to participate in the trials of a new stem cell enhancer for horses. She shared her allotment of test products with a few large commercial thoroughbred farms, veterinarians and other horse people she knows, and has been pleased with the consistently excellent results she has seen and others have reported to her. This product will help so many animals, she says, adding, People and animals are more alike than we are different. So it makes sense that a stem cell enhancer for animals with promote their health, too.

Eve-Marie's Equine Stem Cells Nutrition show dramatic results. For several horses facing serious physical challenges, cases where the animals might have to be put down, we saw a return to quality of life. This did not happen before Equine Stem Cell Nutrition. Eve-Marie says that this turnaround was quick, less than two weeks in many cases, and that the subject horses were back to health and enjoying pasture life within a month. One of the unofficial trial subjects for the equine stem cell nutrition was a 30-year old donkey who was in bad shape, Eve-Marie reports. He hadchronic respiratory difficulty and could move about only haltingly. His owner had stem cell enhancer supplements to help with her own serious health challenges and shared it with the donkey. The donkey's owner says this is the first time she wasn't sick, and her donkey is walking all around, feeling great an enjoying life again!

Farrier and National Hoof practitioner Stephen Dick received some of the trial product from Eve-Marie, and had good results with the two horses he selected for trial. For a 12-year-old quarterhorse stallion, the equine product brought dramatic results. This horse used to lie down twenty-two hours of the day, because he suffered discomfort whenever he stood, Steve reports, continuing, after a couple of weeks with Equine Stem Cell Nutrition, he was getting up and moving around, showing no discomfort. For a high-spirited mare with a leg problem, the equine product brought about a whole new lease on life, Steve says. This horse had been in a stall for 8 months. After about 6 weeks taking the equine product with her grain, her condition had improved and she was out of the stall, walking around in the pasture again.

Little Joe, a small 18-year-old quarter horse that Judy Fisher bought when he was nearly 400 pounds underweight. You could count his ribs, Judy says, remembering, and his backbone stuck up like a ridge all along his back. He was very, very thin! Little Joe also suffered from breathing problems that kept him lethargic and inactive. Vet-recommended remedies were unsuccessful in changing Little Joe's physical problems, and the vet told Judy he didn't expect Little Joe to live through the winter. I figured Little Joe was in such bad shape that anything was worth a try, she says.

She began giving the horse stem cell nutrition with his feed and grain twice a day. Within a couple of weeks, Judy was surprised to see Little Joe beginning to gain weight and run, buck, snort and kick. His breathing was no longer labored and his skin and coat were improving. Within six weeks Little Joe's overall appearance had changed dramatically. He had put on almost 300 pounds. When his former owner came to visit, Judy says, he didn't recognize Little Joe. That's how different he looked!

Sara participated in the stem cell nutrition product trials with her two horses and her 80-pound mixed-breed dog. She noted significant improvement in the health and quality of life for all three animals during the time of the trials. For JJ, Sara's 18-year old quarterhorse, the equine product brought about improvements in his overall mood, appearance and alertness quickly. He really liked the product from the beginning, Sara reports, pointing out that Hank, her 16-year-old thoroughbred/quarterhorse, had not taken to the taste of it too readily. I was able to slowly wean him on it though, she says. For Hank, the equine product was a balm for the skin problems resulting from his allergy to fly bites.

His skin condition improved dramatically. Sara reports, noting that before the equine product the horse had scratched and bitten himself into ope wounds; after the equine product, the scratching and biting dropped off to almost nothing. Sara also noticed an increase in Hank's energy and liveliness in the first week on the equine product. The horse's foot and hip discomforts also responded well, leading to a noticeable increase in his mobility and an overall improvement in his quality of life throughout the two-month study.

Sara gave the pet product to her dog, Roxy, who had suffered for two years with ear problems that led to scratching, often until her skin was raw. Vet-recommended remedies had been temporary, quick-fixes, Sara says, but the discomfort always returned with a vengeance. For the pet trials, Sara gave Roxy two tabs of the product a day for two months, noting this is the only supplement she was getting. Sara says Roxy's problem with her ears definitely improved, the hair as grown back on her head and ears, and the ear problem has not recurred, adding that Roxy is happier and engaging, more playful.

The National Health Institute lists seventy-four treatable diseases using ASCs in therapy - an invasive and costly procedure of removing the stem cells from one's bone marrow (or a donor's bone marrow) and re-injecting these same cells into an area undergoing treatment. For example, this procedure is sometimes done before a cancer patient undergoes radiation. Healthy stem cells from the bone marrow are removed and stored, only to be re-inserted after radiation into the area of the body in need of repair. This is a complex and expensive procedure, not accessible to the average person. However, there is now a way that every single person, no matter what their health condition, can have access to the benefits of naturally supporting their body's innate ability to repair every organ and tissue using stem cell nutrition.

David A. Prentice, Ph.D. - "Within just a few years, the possibility that the human body contains cells that can repair and regenerate damaged and diseased tissue has gone from an unlikely proposition to a virtual certainty. Adult stem cells have been isolated from numerous adult tissues, umbilical cord, and other non-embryonic sources, and have demonstrated a surprising ability for transformation into other tissue and cell types and for repair of damaged tissues.

A new U.S. study involving mice suggests the brain's own stem cells may have the ability to restore memory after an injury. These neural stem cells work by protecting existing cells and promoting neuronal connections. In their experiments, a team at the University of California, Irvine,were able to bring the rodents' memory back to healthy levels up to three months after treatment. The finding could open new doors for treatment of brain injury, stroke and dementia, experts say.

"This is one of the first reports that you can take a stem cell transplantation approach and restore memory," said lead researcher Mathew Blurton-Jones, a postdoctorate fellow at the university. "There is a lot of awareness that stem cells might be useful in treating diseases that cause loss of motor function, but this study shows that they might benefit memory in stroke or traumatic brain injury, and potentially Alzheimer's disease."

In the study, published in the Oct. 31 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, Blurton-Jones and his colleagues used genetically engineered mice that naturally develop brain lesions. The researchers destroyed cells in a brain area called the hippocampus. These cells are known to be vital to memory formation and it is in this region that neurons often die after injury, the researchers explained. To test the mice's memory, Blurton-Jones's group conducted place and object recognition tests with both healthy mice and brain-injured mice.

Healthy mice remembered their surroundings about 70 percent of the time, while brain-injured mice remembered it only 40 percent of the time. For objects, healthy mice recalled objects about 80 percent of the time, but injured mice remembered them only 65 percent of the time. The researchers then injected each mouse with about 200,000 neural stem cells. They found that mice with brain injuries that received the stem cells now remembered their surroundings about 70 percent of the time -- the same as healthy mice. However, mice that didn't receive stem cells still had memory deficits.

The researchers also found that in healthy mice injected with stem cells, the stem cells traveled throughout the brain. In contrast, stem cells given to injured mice lingered in the hippocampus. Only about 4 percent of those stem cells became neurons, indicating that the stem cells were repairing existing cells to improve memory, rather than replacing the dead brain cells, Blurton-Jones's team noted. The researchers are presently doing another study with mice stricken with Alzheimer's. "The initial results are promising," Blurton-Jones said. "This has a huge potential, but we have to be cautious about not rushing into the clinic too early."

One expert is optimistic about the findings. "Putting in these stem cells could eventually help in age-related memory decline," said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, director of the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida College of Medicine. "There is clearly a therapeutic potential to this." Sanberg noted that for the process to work with Alzheimer's it has to work with older brains. "There is clearly therapeutic potential in humans, but there are a lot of hurdles to overcome," he said. "This is another demonstration of the potential for neural stem cells in brain disorders.".

Dr. Nancy White Ph.D.- " I've always been interested in health generally and in particular the brain, focusing on the balance of neurotransmitters. I often do quantitative EEG's for assessment of my patients. I'm impressed with the concept of a natural product like stem cell nutrition that could help release adult stem cells from the bone mass where the body would have no objection and no rejection. I've tried stem cell nutrition for general health anti-aging. After taking it for a time, I fell more agile and my joints are far more flexible. I was astounded while doing yoga that I was suddenly able to bend over and touch my forehead to my knees. I haven't been able to do that comfortably in probably twenty years. I noticed how much better my balance has become. I believe stem cell nutrition is responsible for these effects, because I certainly haven't been trained extensively in yoga. Also since taking stem cell nutrition, I feel better and my skin is more moist and has a finer texture.

A bald friend of mine, who is also taking the stem cell nutrition, had several small cancers on top of his head. His doctor had removed one from his arm already, and his dermatologist set a date to remove those from his scalp. Before the appointment, my friend was shaving one morning and, looking in the mirror, saw that the cancers were all gone. They had disappeared within a few weeks of starting the stem cell nutrition and his skin is better overall. Also, his knee, which he'd strained playing tennis, was like new. Stem cell nutrition seems to go where the body's priority is. You never know what the affect is going to be, but you notice something is changing. Another friend of mine seems to be dropping years. Her skin looks smoother and her face younger. After about six weeks on the stem cell nutrition, she looks like she's ten years younger. A woman who gives her regular facials asked what she was doing, because her skin looked so much different. Stem cell nutrition is remarkable and could help anybody. Everybody should try it, because it's natural and there are no risks. As we grow older in years, we still can have good health. That's the ideal. Even if you don't currently have a problem, stem cell nutrition is a preventative." Dr. White holds a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology, an MA in Behavioral Science, and a B.F.A. in Fine Arts, Magna Cum Laude. In addition, she is licensed in the State of Texas as a Psychologist , a Marriage and Family Therapist and as a Chemical Dependency Counselor.

Fernando Aguila, M.D. - "Due to a heavy patient load, I have recently found that I tire more easily, my legs are cramping, and by the time I get home, even my shoulders and rib cage hurt. I knew I had to find a way to increase my stamina, energy and vitality. A friend gave me information about stem cell nutrition and how it promotes the release of stem cells in the body. One of the components apparently promotes the migration of the stem cells to tissues or organs where regeneration and repair is needed most. My attention was drawn to the fact that it can increase energy, vitality, wellness, concentration, and much more. It sounded just like what I needed. Since then, I've heard reports of people experiencing excellent results in a number of different areas in their health. The improvements sounded dramatic. Because of all of their testimonies, I was willing to believe it could promote wellness in the human body.

I tried stem cell nutrition myself. After a day, of hard work, I realized I wasn't tired at all, my legs were not aching, and I didn't have any shoulder pain. I decided the stem cell nutrition must be working. I continued to take it, and was able to work so efficiently and steadily that one surgeon commented that I was moving like a ball of fire. Stem cell nutrition gives me support physically and mentally. I look forward to seeing what the major medical journals have to say about the studies being done with this new approach to wellness." Fernando Aguila, M.D., graduated from the University of Santa Thomas in Manila , Philippines. He finished his internship at Cambridge City Hospital, Cambridge, MA and completed his residency at the New England Medical Center in Boston, MA. He obtained a fellowship in OB-GYN anesthesia at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and a fellowship in cardio-thoracic anesthesia at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH.

Christian Drapeau is America's best known advocate for Adult Stem Cell science health applications and the founder of the field of Stem Cell Nutrition. He holds a BS in Neurophysiology from McGill University and a Master of Science in Neurology and Neurosurgery from the Montreal Neurological Institute.

One particular stem cell enhancers that was studied was found to contain a polysaccharide fraction that was shown to stimulate the migration of Natural Killer (NK) cells out of the blood into tissues. The same polysaccharide fraction was also shown to strongly stimulate the activation of NK cells. NK cells play the very important role in the body of identifying aberrant or defective cells and eliminating them. NK cells are especially known for their ability to detect and destroy virally infected cells and cells undergoing uncontrolled cellular division. The same polysaccharide fraction was also shown to stimulate macrophage activity. Macrophages constitute the front line of the immune system. They first detect an infection or the presence of bacteria or virally infected cells, and they then call for a full immune response. Adult Stem Cell Nutritional Enhancer also contains a significant concentration of chlorophyll and phycocyanin, the blue pigment in AFA. Phycocyanin has strong anti-inflammatory properties and therefore can assist the immune system.

The release of stem cells from the bone marrow and their migration to tissues is a natural process that happens everyday. Stem cell enhancers simply support that natural process and tips the balance toward health everyday. It does not do anything that the body does not already do everyday. So far, no instances of cancer or any similar problem have ever been observed when using in vivo natural release of stem cells from the bone marrow.

Each day, stem cells in the bone marrow evolve to produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. These mature cells are then released into the bloodstream where they perform their vital life-supporting functions. When bone marrow stem cell activity is interfered with, diseases such as anemia (red blood cell deficit), neutropenia (specialized white blood cell deficit), or thrombocytopenia (platelet deficit) are often diagnosed. Any one of these conditions can cause death if not corrected.

Scientists have long known that folic acid, vitamin B12, and iron are required for bone marrow stem cells to differentiate into mature red blood cells.3-7 Vitamin D has been shown to be crucial in the formation of immune cells,8-11 whereas carnosine has demonstrated a remarkable ability to rejuvenate cells approaching senescence and extend cellular life span.12-28

Other studies of foods such as blueberries show this fruit can prevent and even reverse cell functions that decline as a result of normal aging.29-36 Blueberry extract has been shown to increase neurogenesis in the aged rat brain.37,38 Green tea compounds have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumor cells, while possibly providing protection against normal cellular aging.39,40

Based on these findings, scientists are now speculating that certain nutrients could play important roles in maintaining the healthy renewal of replacement stem cells in the brain, blood, and other tissues. It may be possible, according to these scientists, to use certain nutrient combinations in the treatment of conditions that warrant stem cell replacement

These studies demonstrate for the first time that various natural compounds can promote the proliferation of human bone marrow cells and human stem cells. While these studies were done in vitro, they provide evidence that readily available nutrients may confer a protective effect against today's epidemic of age-related bone marrow degeneration.

Dr. Robert Sampson, MD on stem cell nutrition - "... we have a product that has been shown and demonstrated in the patent to increase the level of adult circulating stem cells by up to 30%. It seems to me we're having a great opportunity here to optimize the body's natural ability to create health." Recent scientific developments have revealed that stem cells derived from the bone marrow, travel throughout the body, and act to support optimal organ and tissue function. Stem cell enhancers supports the natural role of adult stem cells. Stem cell enhancer are typically derived from certain edible algae that grows in fresh water.

The possibility that a decline in the numbers or plasticity of stem cell populations contributes to aging and age-related disease is suggested by recent findings. The remarkable plasticity of stem cells suggests that endogenous or transplanted stem cells can be tweaked' in ways that will allow them to replace lost or dysfunctional cell populations in diseases ranging from neurodegenerative and hematopoietic disorders to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

As you age, the number and quality of stem cells that circulate in your body gradually decrease, leaving your body more susceptible to injury and other age-related health challenges. Just as antioxidants are important to protect your cells from free radical damage, stem cell nutrition is equally important to support your stem cells in maintaining proper organ and tissue functioning in your body.

A fundamental breakthrough in our understanding of nervous system development was the identification of multipotent neural stem cells (neurospheres) about ten years ago. Dr. Weiss and colleagues showed that EGF (epidermal growth factor) dependent stem cells could be harvested from different brain regions at different developmental stages and that these could be maintained over multiple passages in vitro. This initial finding has lead to an explosion of research on stem cells, their role in normal development and their potential therapeutic uses. Many investigators have entered this field and the progress made has been astounding.

How does an increase in the number of circulating stem cells lead to optimal health? Circulating stem cells can reach various organs and become cells of that organ, helping such organ regain and maintain optimal health. Recent studies have suggested that the number of circulating stem cells is a key factor; the higher the number of circulating stem cells the greater is the ability of the body at healing itself. Scientific interest in adult stem cells has centered on their ability to divide or self-renew indefinitely, and generate all the cell types of the organ from which they originate, potentially regenerating the entire organ from a few cells. Adult stem cells are already being used clinically to treat many diseases. These include as reparative treatments with various cancers, autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and arthritis, anemias including sickle cells anemia and immunodeficiencies. Adult stem cells are also being used to treat patients by formation of cartilage, growing new corneas to restore sight to blind patients, treatments for stroke, and several groups are using adult stem cells to repair damage after heart attacks. Early clinical trials have shown initial success in patient treatments for Parkinsons disease and spinal cord injury. The first FDA approved trial to treat juvenile diabetes in human patients is ready to begin at Harvard Medical School, using adult stem cells. An advantage of using adult stem cells is that in most cases, the patients own stem cells can be used for the treatment, circumventing the problems of immune rejection, and without tumor formation.

Why do we hear much in the news about embryonic stem cells and very little about adult stem cells? The first human embryonic stem cells were grown in vitro, in a petri dish, in the mid 1990s. Rapidly, scientists were successful at growing them for many generations and to trigger their differentiation into virtually any kind of cells, i.e. brain cells, heart cells, liver cells, bone cells, pancreatic cells, etc. When scientists tried growing adult stem cells, the endeavor was met with less success, as adult stem cells were difficult to grow in vitro for more than a few generations. This led to the idea that embryonic stem cells have more potential than adult stem cells. In addition, the ethical concerns linked to the use of embryonic stem cells have led to a disproportionate representation of embryonic stem cells in the media. But recent developments over the past 2-3 years have established that adult stem cells have capabilities comparable to embryonic stem cells in the human body, not in the test tube. Many studies have indicated that simply releasing stem cells from the bone marrow can help support the body's natural process for renewal of tissues and organs.

The bone marrow constantly produces stem cells for the entire life of an individual. Stem cells released by the bone marrow are responsible for the constant renewal of red blood cells and lymphocytes (immune cells). A 25-30% increase in the number of circulating stem cells is well within physiological range and does not constitute stress on the bone marrow environment. The amount of active bone marrow amounts to about 2,600 g (5.7 lbs), with about 1.5 trillion marrow cells. Stem cells that do not reach any tissue or become blood cells return to the bone marrow.

Effectiveness of stem cell "enhancers" was demonstrated in a triple-blind study. Volunteers rested for one hour before establishing baseline levels. After the first blood samples, volunteers were given stem cell "enhancers"or placebo. Thereafter, blood samples were taken at 30, 60 and 120 minutes after taking the consumables. The number of circulating stem cells was quantified by analyzing the blood samples using Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS). Consumption of stem cell "enhancers" triggered a significant 25-30% increase in the number of circulating stem cells.

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The Lehigh football team hosted a bone marrow drive in Lamberton Hallon April 27.

The drive, Be the Match,is a nationwide registry that started at Lehigh in 2009 when Andy Talley, the head football coach at Villanova, reached out to Lehighs head coach Donnie Roberts and asked if he would be interested in contributing to the bone marrow drive.

Roberts said he tries to have more students attend every year and join the cause. Each year, the team strives to get as many students to sign up because the chances of finding a perfect bone marrow match are slim. Since 2009, seven Lehigh students have been perfect matches, four of them football players. Roberts saidthe first student who donated in 2011 ended up having a relationship with the person he donated to.

Yales been (registering) over 400 people every year since theyve been involved, Roberts said. Were not even close to that. But its just the idea that here at Lehigh, if were over 100, I feel good. If we were one, I would feel good, because this is bigger than sports when you have the opportunity to save someones life.

Dan Scassera, 19, left, and Tyler Cavenas, 18, help, from left, Tyler Monaco, 20, Yannick Gbadouwey, 18, and Ben Pingrey, 17, fill out their bone marrow donation forms Thursday, April 27, 2017, in Lamberton Hall. To help donors make a decision, Scassera and Cavenas explain what happens if they are a match. (Roshan Giyanani/B&W Staff)

Participants remain on the registry until their 61st birthday unless they request to be removed from future searches for a match, or they do not meet medical requirements to be eligible. While it is a long-term commitment, Be the Match does its bestto cover all medical and travel costs of donating.

Assistant coach Tyler Ward, 14,said applicants fill out a form, their cheeks are swabbed to retrieve DNA and the samples are sent out to be analyzed.

I think one out of 432 people end up matching with someone, which is why we need so many more people to sign up, Wardsaid.

If applicants are matched with someone, they receive a phone call andgo to a nearby doctor to learn how they can donate. There are two different ways to donate,either through giving blood or bone marrow.

Giving bone marrow is similar to giving blood. Eighty percent ofpeople who donate at all donate blood while 20 percent donate bone marrow. Blood donations are processed through a machine that removes stem cellsand returns blood to the system. Bone marrow donations involve a surgery under anesthesia where marrow is removed from the pelvic bone.Ward saidboth procedures are minor.

At the last station, students are given the option to discreetly remove their consent. This allowed students to decide whether or not they wanted to continue with the donor process. (Roshan Giyanani/B&W Staff)

You dont feel it, youre under anesthesia, and both of them are pretty quick, pretty seamless processes, Ward said.

Roberts said after having the marrow removed, he foundthe pain comparable to lightly bruising a hip. He said whilethe thought of going under anesthesia and having a procedure done is intimidating, it could save someones life.

Julia Wise, 20, helped students with forms at the drive.

I think this is an awesome event, especially on a college campus, because you can recruit so many more people, Wise said. The youngest generation is whats really going to help this cause.

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Science Daily

Scientists turn human induced pluripotent stem cells into lung cells Science Daily CReM scientists work with induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, which were discovered by Shinya Yamanaka in 2006. Yamanaka figured out how to take an adult cell in the human body -- like a blood cell or skin cell -- and "reprogram" it into a stem ... and more »

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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - May 01, 2017) - VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (VTGN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new generation medicines for depression and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, announced today that its largest institutional stockholder, holding both common stock and substantially all (99.3%) of the Company's outstanding preferred stock, entered into a 6-month lock-up agreement. Under the agreement, the stockholder and its affiliates agreed to not enter into any transaction involving the Company's securities during the term of the agreement, which runs through late-October 2017 and covers approximately 36% of the Company's issued and outstanding equity securities on an as converted basis.

About VistaGen

VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VTGN), is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new generation medicines for depression and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders. VistaGen's lead CNS product candidate, AV-101, is in Phase 2 development as a new generation oral antidepressant drug candidate for major depressive disorder (MDD). AV-101's mechanism of action is fundamentally differentiated from all FDA-approved antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics used adjunctively to treat MDD, with potential to drive a paradigm shift towards a new generation of safer and faster-acting antidepressants. AV-101 is currently being evaluated by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in a Phase 2 monotherapy study in MDD being fully funded by the NIMH and conducted by Dr. Carlos Zarate Jr., Chief, Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders and Chief of Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch at the NIMH. VistaGen is preparing to launch a 180-patient Phase 2 study of AV-101 as an adjunctive treatment for MDD patients with inadequate response to standard, FDA-approved antidepressants. Dr. Maurizio Fava of Harvard University will be the Principal Investigator of the Company's Phase 2 adjunctive treatment study. AV-101 may also have the potential to treat multiple CNS disorders and neurodegenerative diseases in addition to MDD, including chronic neuropathic pain, epilepsy, and symptoms of Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, where modulation of the NMDAR, AMPA pathway and/or key active metabolites of AV-101 may achieve therapeutic benefit.

VistaStem Therapeutics is VistaGen's wholly owned subsidiary focused on applying human pluripotent stem cell technology, internally and with collaborators, to discover, rescue, develop and commercialize proprietary new chemical entities (NCEs), including small molecule NCEs with regenerative potential, for CNS and other diseases, and cellular therapies involving stem cell-derived blood, cartilage, heart and liver cells. In December 2016, VistaGen exclusively sublicensed to BlueRock Therapeutics LP, a next generation regenerative medicine company established by Bayer AG and Versant Ventures, rights to certain proprietary technologies relating to the production of cardiac stem cells for the treatment of heart disease.

For more information, please visit http://www.vistagen.com and connect with VistaGen on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to the successful launch, continuation and results of the NIMH's Phase 2 (monotherapy) and/or the Company's planned Phase 2 (adjunctive therapy) clinical studies of AV-101 in MDD, and other CNS diseases and disorders, protection of its intellectual property, and the availability of substantial additional capital to support its operations, including the Phase 2 clinical development activities described above. These and other risks and uncertainties are identified and described in more detail in VistaGen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These filings are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. VistaGen undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

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Whether your adult mesenchymal stem cells come from bone marrow or from fat probably does not make a difference in terms of clinical results. Although some centers claim that bone marrow derived cells are superior to fat derived cells, there is no evidence to substantiate that. Recent studies show that fat derived cells make bone tissue much better than the bone marrow derived cells. Some studies are showing different outcomes but it is important to realize that these studies are all done in petri dishes and may not relate to living organism. Also, it is important that one is not mislead in some marketing materials by the word bone in bone marrow, possibly implying that since this is an orthopedic source it must be better for treating orthopedic conditions such as cartilage regeneration. In fact, the bone marrow is part of the reticulo-endothelial system (makes blood cells) and just happens to be found in the center of bone. The truth is, both bone marrow derived and stromal (from fat) derived stem cells are both effective for regenerative therapy and both have the potential to differentiate into mature functional cartilage. However, stem cells from fat are 100 to 1000 times more plentiful and this makes same day procedures (allowed in the US) much more effective with fat derived cells. The higher numbers of cells in fat leads to better clinical outcomes. Also, the quality of bone marrow declines with age and it has less numbers of cells and less healthy cells compared to the fat. The diminution in quantity and quality of bone marrow cells related to age and chronic illness is well documented. Last but not least, the ease of removing fat from under the skin using a mini-liposuction under local anesthetic is much less invasive and MUCH LESS painful than undergoing bone marrow aspiration to obtain bone marrow cells.

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The DMC reviewed all of the accumulated safety data to date. The review included the safety data from six complete cervical injury (AIS-A) patients dosed with 10 million AST-OPC1 cells in Cohort 2, each of whom have completed at least six months of follow-up, as well as initial safety data from the currently enrolling Cohorts 3 and 4. Cohort 3 is enrolling AIS-A patients dosed with the highest dose of 20 million cells; Cohort 4 is testing 10 million cells in patients with less severe AIS-B incomplete cervical spinal cord injuries. In addition, the DMC reviewed the ongoing long-term safety data from the study's initial cohort of three patients dosed with 2 million cells, all of whom completed 12 months of follow-up in 2016.

As specified in the SCiStar study protocol, the DMC meets on a regular basis to review data from the ongoing trial. The DMC is comprised of an independent group of medical and scientific experts and is responsible for reviewing and evaluating patient safety and efficacy data for safeguarding the interest of study participants.

Asterias previously reported on positive early efficacy data from Cohort 2 (AIS-A; 10 million cells) of the SCiStar study. Patients from this cohort showed improvement in upper extremity motor function at 3-months following administration of AST-OPC1 and maintained or further increased this improvement at 6-months and 9-months. The results suggest a meaningful and favorable difference to date in recovery of arm, hand and finger function in patients treated with the 10 million cell dose of AST-OPC1 as compared to the level of expected rates of spontaneous recovery shown from historical control data of a closely matched patient population. Asterias expects to report additional efficacy and safety data for Cohort 2, as well as for the currently-enrolling Cohorts 3 and 4, later this year.

About the SCiStar Trial

The SCiStar trial is an open-label, single-arm trial testing three sequential escalating doses of AST-OPC1 administered at up to 20 million AST-OPC1 cells in as many as 35 patients with sub-acute, C-5 to C-7, motor complete (AIS-A or AIS-B) cervical SCI. These individuals have essentially lost all movement below their injury site and experience severe paralysis of the upper and lower limbs. AIS-A patients have lost all motor and sensory function below their injury site, while AIS-B patients have lost all motor function but may retain some minimal sensory function below their injury site. AST-OPC1 is being administered 14 to 30 days post-injury. Patients will be followed by neurological exams and imaging procedures to assess the safety and activity of the product.

The study is being conducted at six centers in the U.S. and the company plans to increase this to up to 12 sites to accommodate the expanded patient enrollment. Clinical sites involved in the study include the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Shepherd Medical Center in Atlanta, University of Southern California (USC) jointly with Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles, Indiana University, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose jointly with Stanford University.

Asterias has received a Strategic Partnerships Award grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which provides $14.3 million of non-dilutive funding for the Phase 1/2a clinical trial and other product development activities for AST-OPC1.

Additional information on the Phase 1/2a trial, including trial sites, can be found at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, using Identifier NCT02302157, and at the SCiStar Study Website (www.SCiStar-study.com).

About AST-OPC1

AST-OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor population derived from human embryonic stem cells, has been shown in animals and in vitro to have three potentially reparative functions that address the complex pathologies observed at the injury site of a spinal cord injury. These activities of AST-OPC1 include production of neurotrophic factors, stimulation of vascularization, and induction of remyelination of denuded axons, all of which are critical for survival, regrowth and conduction of nerve impulses through axons at the injury site. In preclinical animal testing, AST-OPC1 administration led to remyelination of axons, improved hindlimb and forelimb locomotor function, dramatic reductions in injury-related cavitation and significant preservation of myelinated axons traversing the injury site.

In a previous Phase 1 clinical trial, five patients with neurologically complete, thoracic spinal cord injury were administered two million AST-OPC1 cells at the spinal cord injury site 7-14 days post-injury. They also received low levels of immunosuppression for the next 60 days. Delivery of AST-OPC1 was successful in all five subjects with no serious adverse events associated with AST-OPC1. No evidence of rejection of AST-OPC1 was observed in detailed immune response monitoring of all patients. In four of the five patients, serial MRI scans indicated that reduced spinal cord cavitation may have occurred. Based on the results of this study, Asterias received clearance from FDA to progress testing of AST-OPC1 to patients with complete cervical spine injuries, which represents the first targeted population for registration trials.

About Asterias Biotherapeutics

Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company pioneering the field of regenerative medicine. The company's proprietary cell therapy programs are based on its pluripotent stem cell and immunotherapy platform technologies. Asterias is presently focused on advancing three clinical-stage programs which have the potential to address areas of very high unmet medical need in the fields of neurology and oncology. AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) is currently in a Phase 1/2a dose escalation clinical trial in spinal cord injury. AST-VAC1 (antigen-presenting autologous dendritic cells) is undergoing continuing development by Asterias based on promising efficacy and safety data from a Phase 2 study in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), with current efforts focused on streamlining and modernizing the manufacturing process. AST-VAC2 (antigen-presenting allogeneic dendritic cells) represents a second generation, allogeneic cancer immunotherapy. The company's research partner, Cancer Research UK, plans to begin a Phase 1/2a clinical trial of AST-VAC2 in non-small cell lung cancer in 2017. Additional information about Asterias can be found at http://www.asteriasbiotherapeutics.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating and/or clinical research results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and potential opportunities for Asterias, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the businesses of Asterias, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in Asterias' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Asterias disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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Asterias Biotherapeutics Announces Data Monitoring Committee Unanimously Recommends Continuation of SCiStar ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Asterias Biotherapeutics Announces Data Monitoring Committee Unanimously Recommends Continuation of SCiStar … – PR Newswire (press release) | April 27th, 2017

Using video microscopy in the living mouse lung, UC San Francisco scientists have revealed that the lungs play a previously unrecognized role in blood production. As reported online March 22, 2017, inNature, the researchers found that the lungs produced more than half of the platelets blood components required for the clotting that stanches bleeding in the mouse circulation.

In another surprise finding, the scientists also identified a previously unknown pool of blood stem cells capable of restoring blood production when the stem cells of the bone marrow, previously thought to be the principal site of blood production, are depleted.

This finding definitely suggests a more sophisticated view of the lungs that theyre not just for respiration but also a key partner in formation of crucial aspects of the blood, said pulmonologistMark R. Looney, a professor of medicine and of laboratory medicine at UCSF and the new papers senior author. What weve observed here in mice strongly suggests the lung may play a key role in blood formation in humans as well.

The findings could have majorimplications for understanding human diseases in which patients suffer from low platelet counts, or thrombocytopenia, which afflicts millions of people and increases the risk of dangerous uncontrolled bleeding. The findings also raise questions about how blood stem cells residing in the lungs may affect the recipients of lung transplants.

The new study was made possible by a refinement of a technique known as two-photon intravital imaging recently developed by Looney and co-authorMatthew F. Krummel, a UCSF professor of pathology. This imaging approach allowed the researchers to perform the extremely delicate task of visualizing the behavior of individual cells within the tiny blood vessels of a living mouse lung.

Looney and his team were using this technique to examine interactions between the immune system and circulating platelets in the lungs, using a mouse strain engineered so that platelets emit bright green fluorescence, when they noticed a surprisingly large population of platelet-producing cells called megakaryocytes in the lung vasculature. Though megakaryocytes had been observed in the lung before, they were generally thought to live and produce platelets primarily in the bone marrow.

When we discovered this massive population of megakaryocytes that appeared to be living in the lung, we realized we had to follow this up, saidEmma Lefranais, a postdoctoral researcher in Looneys lab and co-first author on the new paper.

More detailed imaging sessions soon revealed megakaryocytes in the act of producing more than 10 million platelets per hour within the lung vasculature, suggesting that more than half of a mouses total platelet production occurs in the lung, not the bone marrow, as researchers had long presumed. Video microscopy experiments also revealed a wide variety of previously overlooked megakaryocyte progenitor cells and blood stem cells sitting quietly outside the lung vasculature estimated at 1 million per mouse lung.

The discovery of megakaryocytes and blood stem cells in the lung raised questions about how these cells move back and forth between the lung and bone marrow. To address these questions, the researchers conducted a clever set of lung transplant studies:

First, the team transplanted lungs from normal donor mice into recipient mice with fluorescent megakaryocytes, and found that fluorescent megakaryocytes from the recipient mice soon began turning up in the lung vasculature. This suggested that the platelet-producing megakaryocytes in the lung originate in the bone marrow.

Its fascinating that megakaryocytes travel all the way from the bone marrow to the lungs to produce platelets, said Guadalupe Ortiz-Muoz, a postdoctoral researcher in the Looney lab and the papers other co-first author. Its possible that the lung is an ideal bioreactor for platelet production because of the mechanical force of the blood, or perhaps because of some molecular signaling we dont yet know about.

"Its possible that the lung is an ideal bioreactor for platelet production because of the mechanical force of the blood, or perhaps because of some molecular signaling we dont yet know about."

Guadalupe Ortiz-Muoz, postdoctoral researcher in the Mark Looney Lab

In another experiment, the researchers transplanted lungs with fluorescent megakaryocyte progenitor cells into mutant mice with low platelet counts. The transplants produced a large burst of fluorescent platelets that quickly restored normal levels, an effect that persisted over several months of observation much longer than the lifespan of individual megakaryocytes or platelets. To the researchers, this indicated that resident megakaryocyte progenitor cells in the transplanted lungs had become activated by the recipient mouses low platelet counts and had produced healthy new megakaryocyte cells to restore proper platelet production.

Finally, the researchers transplanted healthy lungs in which all cells were fluorescently tagged into mutant mice whose bone marrow lacked normal blood stem cells. Analysis of the bone marrow of recipient mice showed that fluorescent cells originating from the transplanted lungs soon traveled to the damaged bone marrow and contributed to the production not just of platelets, but of a wide variety of blood cells, including immune cells such as neutrophils, B cells and T cells. These experiments suggest that the lungs play host to a wide variety of blood progenitor cells and stem cells capable of restocking damaged bone marrow and restoring production of many components of the blood.

To our knowledge this is the first description of blood progenitors resident in the lung, and it raises a lot of questions with clinical relevance for the millions of people who suffer from thrombocytopenia, said Looney, who is also an attending physician on UCSFs pulmonary consult service and intensive care units.

In particular, the study suggests that researchers who have proposed treating platelet diseases with platelets produced from engineered megakaryocytes should look to the lungs as a resource for platelet production, Looney said. The study also presents new avenues of research for stem cell biologists to explore how the bone marrow and lung collaborate to produce a healthy blood system through the mutual exchange of stem cells.

These observations alter existing paradigms regarding blood cell formation, lung biology and disease, and transplantation, said pulmonologist Guy A. Zimmerman, who is associate chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine and was an independent reviewer of the new study forNature. The findings have direct clinical relevance and provide a rich group of questions for future studies of platelet genesis and megakaryocyte function in lung inflammation and other inflammatory conditions, bleeding and thrombotic disorders, and transplantation.

The observation that blood stem cells and progenitors seem to travel back and forth freely between the lung and bone marrow lends support to a growing sense among researchers that stem cells may be much more active than previously appreciated, Looney said. Were seeing more and more that the stem cells that produce the blood dont just live in one place but travel around through the blood stream. Perhaps studying abroad in different organs is a normal part of stem cell education.

The study was supported the UCSF Nina Ireland Program in Lung Health, the UCSF Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (HL092471, HL107386 and HL130324).

It has been known for decades that the lung can be a site of platelet production, but this study amplifies this idea by demonstrating that the murine lung is a major participant in the process, said Traci Mondoro,project officer at the Translational Blood Science and Resources Branch of the NHLBI. Dr. Looney and his team have disrupted some traditional ideas about the pulmonary role in platelet-related hematopoiesis, paving the way for further scientific exploration of this integrated biology.

Additional authors included Axelle Caudrillier,Beat Mallavia,Fengchun Liu, Emily E. Thornton,Mark B. Headley,Tovo David, Shaun R. Coughlin, Andrew D. Leavitt, David M. Sayah, of UCLA; and Emmanuelle Passegu,a former UCSF faculty member who is now director of the Columbia Stem Cell Initiative at Columbia University Medical Center.

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Surprising new role for lungs: Making blood - University of California

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From Skin to Brain

The brain is one of the most vital organs in the human body, so damage to the brain from injury or aging can have major impacts on peoples quality of life.Neurological disorders representsome of todays most devastating medical conditions that are also difficult to treat.Among these is Alzheimers disease.

Usually, research involving Alzheimers rely on brain cells from mice. Now, neurobiologists from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have developed a method that could allow the use of human cells instead of animal ones to help understand neurological diseases better.

In their study, which was published in the journal Neuron, the researchers found a way to transform human skin cells into stem cells and program them into microglial cells. The latter make up about 10 to 15 percent of the brain and are involved in the removing dead cells and debris, as well as managing inflammation. Micgrolia are instramentalin neural network development and maintenance, explained researcher Mathew Blurton Jones, fromUCIs Department of Neurobiology & Behavior.

Microglia play an important role in Alzheimers and other diseases of the central nervous system. Recent research has revealed that newly discovered Alzheimers-risk genes influence microglia behavior, Jones said in an interview for a UCI press release. Using these cells, we can understand the biology of these genes and test potential new therapies.

The skin cells had been donated by patients from UCIs Alzheimers Disease Research Center. These were firstsubjected toa genetic process to convert them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells adult cells modified to behave as an embryonic stem cell, allowing them to become other kinds of cells. These iPS cells were then exposed to differentiation factors designed to imitate the environment of developing microglia, which transformed them into the brain cells.

This discovery provides a powerful new approach to better model human disease and develop new therapies, said UCI MIND associate researcher Wayne Poon in the press release. The researchers, in effect, have developed a renewable and high-throughput method for understanding the role of inflammation in Alzheimers disease using human cells, according to researcher Edsel Abud in the same source.

In other words, by using human microglia instead of those from mice, the researchers have developed a more accurate toolto study neurological diseases and to develop more targeted treatment approaches. In the case of Alzheimers, they studied the genetic and physical interactions between the diseases pathology and the induced microglia cells. These translational studies will better inform disease-modulating therapeutic strategies, Abud added in the press release.

Furthermore, they are now using these induced microglia cells in three-dimensional brain models. The goal is to understand the interaction between microglia and other brain cells, and how these influence the development of Alzheimers and other neurological diseases.

This is all made possible by reprogrammable stem cells. Indeed, this study is one more example of how stem cells arechanging medicine.

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A New Technique Transforms Human Skin Into Brain Cells - Futurism - Futurism

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on A New Technique Transforms Human Skin Into Brain Cells – Futurism – Futurism | April 26th, 2017

It was Thursday afternoon, and the little girl from near Cologne, Germany, and the 40-year-old Duluth woman had known each other for less than 24 hours. But it was obvious that Edwards already had bonded with Ina and her little sister Mila.

They were together because the girls' mother had given Edwards a much greater gift: the gift of life.

"By your donation, I still get to be a mom," Edwards told Daniela Halfkann, 30. "(You're) a mom, so you completely understand how important it is to be here with your children."

Edwards, the mother of 15-year-old twin boys and the wife of Duluth Fire Chief Dennis Edwards, is alive because of the stem cell transplant she received at the Mayo Clinic on Oct. 31, 2014. As a result, she said, she is in remission from the rare and aggressive form of leukemia with which she had been diagnosed that June.

All she was told at the time of the transplant was that the donor was a woman from Germany.

Halfkann had registered as a potential stem cell or bone marrow donor at the large insurance company where she works in Cologne, she said. One day she received a call, saying her donation was needed.

After the six-hour procedure, Halfkann was told nothing more than that the recipient was a woman in the United States.

After a two-year waiting period required in Germany, the two women learned each other's identities last October and connected via Facebook.

Their meeting in Duluth was arranged by Amanda Schamper, Midwest donor recruitment coordinator for DKMS, the Germany-based organization that facilitated the donation.

Halfkann made the trip along with husband Stefan and their daughters, leaving their home at 3 a.m. on Tuesday and arriving at the Duluth International Airport at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Like Edwards, DKMS wants to raise awareness of the need for people to enter the registry, said Schamper, who also traveled to Duluth for the occasion.

She said 14,000 patients are in need of a peripheral blood stem cell or bone marrow donation, but fewer than half will get one because there's no match on the registry.

"We're looking for a particular protein in our DNA," she explained.

Only in 30 percent of cases are siblings a match. Edwards' brother and sister both had been screened, she said, and neither was a match for her.

Finding a match "is equated to finding your genetic twin, or winning the genetic lottery," Schamper said.

If more people were on the registry a process that only requires taking a swab from your cheek there would be more potential matches. But only 2 percent of eligible Americans are registered, Schamper said.

When the Halfkanns arrived at the gate on Wednesday, Dennis and Merissa Edwards, along with sons Caden and Jaxon, were waiting at the gate.

It was an emotional moment.

"It was hard for me," Merissa Edwards said on Friday, speaking to Daniela Halfkann. "I was crying. I was so emotional, so happy to meet you and hug you."

She wiped away a tear. "I still am."

"It was amazing," Halfkann responded. "I cried at the gate, too."

The Halfkanns, who are staying at the Edgewater, initially focused on recovery from jet lag. But Edwards is making sure they'll get a full taste of Duluth and Minnesota before beginning their return trip to Germany next Saturday. That includes visits to the Mall of America, the Great Lakes Aquarium and a trip up the North Shore.

A "thank-you party," open to the public, is planned on Sunday afternoon. Halfkann also will be recognized on Monday during the Saints Sports Awards ceremony at the College of St. Scholastica, where Edwards is an administrative assistant in the athletics department.

Recovery from the ravages of leukemia has been a long process, Edwards said, but she remains in remission. She gets a PET scan every six months to make sure that's still the case; the next one takes place next week.

Edwards shares her story, she said, not to call attention to herself but to highlight the need for people to take the simple step of registering as a potential donor.

"It's so important for us to help other people keep their families together and save a mother or father or son or daughter," she said. "The more people we can encourage to cheek-swab and get on the registry, the more lives we can help save and help families stay together."

TO LEARN MORE

For more information and to learn how to get on the bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell registry, visit dkms.org.

IF YOU GO

The thank-you party for Daniela Halfkann will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday at The Other Place Bar and Grill, 3930 E. Calvary Road.

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Duluth woman meets the German donor whose stem cells saved her life - WDAY

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Duluth woman meets the German donor whose stem cells saved her life – WDAY | April 23rd, 2017

Oncology Nurse Advisor

Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Treatment (Fact Sheet) Oncology Nurse Advisor Myeloproliferative neoplasms are a group of diseases in which the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Normally, the bone marrow makes blood stem cells (immature cells) that become mature blood cells over time. and more »

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Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Treatment (Fact Sheet) - Oncology Nurse Advisor

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The Husaini Haematology and Oncology Trust will soon provide facilities of bone marrow transplant and stem cell therapies at its newly established Blood Transfusion Centre and Thalassaemia Centre that was inaugurated by the city director health on Tuesday.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Karachi director health Dr Muhammad Toufique urged the trust officials to share the data of patients undergoing blood transfusions, stem cell therapies and bone marrow transplant.

He said the data would help the Sindh government formulate a plan to establish more such facilities in the future. In addition to the blood screening and storage facilities, the centre is providing blood transfusion service to children suffering from genetic blood disorders as well as diagnostic services related to blood disorders.

This is a state-of-the-art blood transfusion and thalassaemia centre where bone marrow transplant and stem cell therapies would be started very soon, said a renowned haematologist associated with the Husaini Blood Bank, Dr Sarfraz Jaffery, at the inaugural ceremony of the blood transfusion and thalassaemia centre located at Qalandaria Chowk, North Nazimabad.

The head office of the Husaini Haematology and Oncology Trust is equipped with a diagnostic lab, blood bank having storage capacity of around 3,000 blood bags and blood transfusion centre for thalassaemic patients while its management is also planning to introduce bone marrow transplant and stem cell therapy services at the same facility in the near future.

Felicitating the trust officials, the city director health vowed to support them in their services. He said the government was also striving hard for provision of safe blood to thalassaemic children and other patients.

Dr Toufique hoped that institutions like Hussaini would come forward to support the government in establishing such centres in the province. Talking to journalists, the director health said steps were being taken to control the outbreak of Chikungunya in the city.

He said the health department was in contact with the municipal authorities to start fumigation in various areas of Karachi to eliminate the mosquitoes and prevent people from mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue and Malaria.

The Sindh government was planning to merge the Malaria and Dengue Prevention and Control Cells under one project director, who would be utilizing all the resources to eliminate the mosquitoes that were responsible for the deadly infectious diseases in the province, he added.

I would also urge people to take precautionary measures, prevent themselves and their children from mosquitoes by using repellents, improving sanitation conditions in their residential areas and adopt other preventive measures to protect themselves against the mosquitoes, he advised.

Earlier, speaking at a workshop on thalassaemia management held at the same place, noted haematologists of the country stressed the need for promoting the culture of prevention from diseases in the country.

They called for the implementation of laws regarding thalassaemia screening, saying that both the government and private sector could not treat the increasing number of thalassaemic patients.

Senior haematologist from Lahore, Prof Dr Jovaria Mannan, urged the doctors and researchers to use latest research methods in the field of haematology.

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Husaini trust plans to perform bone marrow transplants, stem cell therapy - The News International

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Husaini trust plans to perform bone marrow transplants, stem cell therapy – The News International | April 20th, 2017

Like drag car racers revving their engines at the starting line, stem cells respond more quickly to injury when they've been previously primed with one dose of a single protein, according to a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Mice given the priming protein recover muscle function more quickly after damage, their skin heals more rapidly and even the shaved area around the injury regrows hair more quickly, the study found. Harnessing the power of this protein may one day help people recover more quickly from surgery or restore youthful vigor to aging stem cells.

"We're trying to better understand wound healing in response to trauma and aging," said Thomas Rando, MD, PhD, professor of neurology and neurological sciences. "We've shown that muscle and bone marrow stem cells enter a stage of alertness in response to distant injury that allows them to spring into action more quickly. Now we've pinpointed the protein responsible for priming them to do what they do better and faster."

Rando, who also directs Stanford's Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, is the senior author of the study, which will be published April 18 in Cell Reports. Former postdoctoral scholar Joseph Rodgers, PhD, is the lead author. Rodgers is now an assistant professor of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at the University of Southern California.

Potential therapy

"Our research shows that by priming the body before an injury you can speed the process of tissue repair and recovery, similar to how a vaccine prepares the body to a fight infection," Rodgers said. "We believe this could be a therapeutic approach to improve recovery in situations where injuries can be anticipated, such as surgery, combat or sports."

Normally, adult, tissue-specific stem cells are held in a kind of cellular deep freeze called quiescence to avoid unnecessary cell division in the absence of injury. In a 2014 paper published in Nature, Rodgers and Rando showed in laboratory mice that an injury to the muscle of one leg caused a change in the muscle stem cells of the other leg. These cells entered what the researchers called an "alert" phase of the cell cycle that is distinct from either fully resting or fully active stem cells.

The fact that muscle stem cells distant from the injury were alerted indicated that the damaged muscle must release a soluble factor that can travel throughout the body to wake up quiescent stem cells. Rodgers and his colleagues found that a protein called hepatocyte growth factor, which exists in a latent form in the spaces between muscle cells and tissue, can activate a critical signaling pathway in the cells by binding to their surfaces. This pathway stimulates the production of proteins important in alerting the stem cells. But it wasn't known how HGF itself became activated.

In the new study, Rodgers and his colleagues identified the activating factor by injecting uninjured animals with blood serum isolated from animals with an induced muscle injury. (Mice were anesthetized prior to a local injection of muscle-damaging toxin; they were given pain relief and antibiotics during the recovery period.) After 2.5 days, the researchers found that muscle stem cells from the recipient animals were in an alert state and completed their first cell division much more quickly than occurred in animals that had received blood serum from uninjured mice.

"Clearly, blood from the injured animal contains a factor that alerts the stem cells," said Rando. "We wanted to know, what is it in the blood that is doing this?"

Increased levels of a protein

The researchers found that the serum from the injured animals had the same levels of HGF as the control serum. However, it did have increased levels of a protein called HGFA that activates HGF by snipping it into two pieces. Treating the serum with an antibody that blocked the activity of HGFA eliminated the recovery benefit of pretreatment, the researchers found.

In a related experiment, exposing the animals to a single intravenous dose of HGFA alone two days prior to injury helped the mice recover more quickly. They scampered around on their wheels sooner and their skin healed more quickly than mice that received a control injection. They also regrew their hair around the shaved surgical site more completely than did the control animals.

"Just like in the muscles, we saw the responses in the skin were dramatically improved when the stem cells were alerted," Rando said.

In addition to pinpointing possible ways to prepare people for surgeries or other situations in which they might sustain wounds, the researchers are intrigued by the role HGF and HGFA might play in aging. It's known that the pathway activated by these proteins is less active in older people and animals.

"Stem cell activity diminishes with advancing age, and older people heal more slowly and less effectively than younger people. Might it be possible to restore youthful healing by activating this pathway?" said Rando. "We'd love to find out."

The work is an example of Stanford Medicine's focus on precision health, the goal of which is to anticipate and prevent disease in the healthy and precisely diagnose and treat disease in the ill.

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Protein primes mouse stem cells to quickly repair injury, study finds ... - Science Daily

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Protein primes mouse stem cells to quickly repair injury, study finds … – Science Daily | April 18th, 2017