By Ben Spencer

Published: 09:48 EST, 4 July 2014 | Updated: 10:20 EST, 4 July 2014

Fat removed from a heart attack patient during cardiac surgery could be re-injected into their chest to lower the risk of repeat problems, research suggests.

Scientists think that stem cells in fatty tissue could be extracted and inserted directly into the heart, reducing the chance of future attacks.

The stem cells - blank cells capable of acting as a repair kit for the body by replacing worn-out tissue - can improve the functioning of the heart and strengthen crucial arteries and veins, the researchers found.

Usually most of the fat that is found during open heart surgery is removed and then discarded.

Scientists believe fat removed from a heart attack patient during cardiac surgery could be re-injected into their chest to lower the risk of repeat problems. Stock image

But the new study suggests that the fat could be retained and the useful stem cells isolated and injected back into the heart - all while the patient is still on the operating table.

Canadian cardiologist Dr Ganghong Tian, who will present his findings at a European Society of Cardiology conference in Barcelona tomorrow (Sunday), said: During cardiac surgery fat tissue may need to be removed from patients to expose the heart.

We were intrigued to find out whether this mediastinal fat, which would otherwise be discarded, contained stem cells that could be injected back into the heart before closing the chest.

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Fat cells removed from heart attack patients could be re-injected into their chest to help repair the organ ...

Started by Duska Anastasijevic (@duska) 2 day(s) ago

July 4th Marks 75th Anniversary of Lou Gehrigs Farewell Speech

ROCHESTER, Minn. Seventy-five years ago, on July 4th 1939, baseball legend Lou Gehrig delivered the famous speech bidding farewell to the ballpark and his fans. Two weeks before Gehrig had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)at Mayo Clinicin Rochester, Minnesota. Accompanied by his wife, Eleanor, Lou left Mayo Clinic with the devastating diagnosis on June 20th 1939, a day after his 36th birthday. He died in June two years later, not quite 38 years old, of the rare neurological disease that would come to bear his name.

MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Journalists, the video package and addition b-roll are available in the downloads. To read the video script click here.

ALS is a type of progressive motor neuron disease that typically strikes at middle to later life and causes nerve cells in spinal cord, brain stem and brain to gradually break down and die. These nerve cells are responsible for muscle function so eventually, ALS can affect the ability to control the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe.

While ALS still evades cure and effective treatment, researchers at Mayo Clinic are conducting Phase I clinical trial in the hope that they can guide newly grown stem cells to become protective of neuromuscular function.

We use fat-derived mesenchymal stem cells from the patient's own body. These cells are modified in the laboratory and delivered through a spinal tap into the fluid around the patient's nervous system to promote neuron survival, explains neurologist Anthony Windebank, M.D, deputy director for discovery in the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. We hope that the growth factors that they are producing will help protect and promote the survival of nerve cells and therefore slow down or arrest the progression of ALS. If we can halt an ALS patient's loss of cells at 20 to 30 percent, that persons function would be well-preserved," says Dr. Windebank.

In the current phase of the FDA-controlled trial, Dr. Windebank and his team are studying the safety and efficacy of the treatment. If injecting ALS patients with stem cells grown from samples of their own fat tissue is found to be safe, the research would move to a Phase II, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to allow further study of safety and efficacy on a greater number of patients.

The FDA just approved another clinical trial in which Mayo Clinic will take part. The BrainStorm Phase II trial will look into whether stem cells can be used to actually replace the neurons that have been destroyed by ALS.

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July 4th Marks 75th Anniversary of Lou Gehrigs Farewell Speech

The treatment could edge out joint replacement procedures to a large extent.

Hyderabad, June 30:

A team of doctors from a city hospital have harvested stem cells of a person using bone marrow from the pelvis area to replace some dead tissues in the hip. By doing this, they saved the patient from undergoing a hip replacement.

The Apollo Health City team, headed by orthopaedic specialist Paripati Sharat Kumar, diagnosed a 39-year-old women suffering from Avascular Necrosis. Her condition would require undergoing a replacement of hips.

After assessing her condition, the team has decided to go for the autologous stem cell procedure (where donor and the receiver is the same person) to save both the hip joints.

The minimally invasive procedure involved taking bone marrow aspirate from the patients pelvis. Stem cells were harvested from the aspirate through a process that takes about 15 minutes. Stems cells were planted in the area of damage under fluoroscopy control following core decompression, Kumar said in a statement on Monday.

He feels that the autologous stem cell treatment could edge out joint replacement procedures to a large extent in the days to come. The scope of this procedure in orthopaedics and sports medicine is enormous. This could be extended to indications including osteoarthritis of knee, shoulder, hip, elbows, ankle and spine, he said.

(This article was published on June 30, 2014)

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Autologous stem cell treatment could be the road ahead

Stem cell scientists had what first appeared to be an easy win for regenerative medicine when they discovered mesenchymal stem cells several decades ago. These cells, found in the bone marrow, can give rise to bone, fat, and muscle tissue, and have been used in hundreds of clinical trials for tissue repair. Unfortunately, the results of these trials have been underwhelming. One problem is that these stem cells don't stick around in the body long enough to benefit the patient.

But Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) scientists at Boston Children's Hospital aren't ready to give up. A research team led by Juan Melero-Martin, PhD, recently found that transplanting mesenchymal stem cells along with blood vessel-forming cells naturally found in circulation improves results. This co-transplantation keeps the mesenchymal stem cells alive longer in mice after engraftment, up to a few weeks compared to hours without co-transplantation. This improved survival gives the mesenchymal stem cells sufficient time to display their full regenerative potential, generating new bone or fat tissue in the recipient mouse body. The finding was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

"We are losing mesenchymal stem cells very rapidly when we transplant them into the body, in part, because we are not giving them what they need," said Melero-Martin, an HSCI affiliated faculty member and an assistant professor of surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

"In the body, these cells sit very close to the capillaries, constantly receiving signals from them, and even though this communication is broken when we isolate mesenchymal stem cells in a laboratory dish, they seem to be ok because we have learned how to feed them," he said. "But when you put the mesenchymal stem cells back into the body, there is a period of time when they will not have this proximity to capillary cells and they start to die; so including these blood vessel-forming cells from the very beginning of a transplantation made a major difference."

Melero-Martin's research has immediate translational implications, as current mesenchymal clinical trials don't follow a co-transplantation procedure. He is already collaborating with surgical colleagues at Boston Children's Hospital to see if his discovery can help improve fat and bone grafts. However, giving patients two different types of cells, as opposed to just one, would require more time and experiments to determine safety and efficacy. Melero-Martin is seeking to identify the specific signals mesenchymal stem cells receive from the blood vessel-forming cells in order to be able to mimic the signals without the cells themselves.

"Even though mesenchymal stem cells have been around for a while, I think there is still a lack of fundamental knowledge about communication between them and other cells in the body," he said. "My lab is interested in going even beyond what we found to try to understand whether these cell-cell signals are different in each tissue of the body, and to learn how to educate both blood vessel-forming and mesenchymal stem cells to co-ordinate tissue specific regenerative responses."

Other Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers are studying mesenchymal stem cells as bioengineering tools to deliver therapeutics, which is possible because of the cell type's unique ability to not trigger an immune response. Jeffrey Karp, PhD, at Brigham and Women's Hospital has developed several methods to turn these cells into drug-delivery vehicles, so that after transplantation they can, for example, hone in on swollen tissue and secrete anti-inflammatory compounds. And Khalid Shah, PhD, at Massachusetts General Hospital has designed a gel that holds mesenchymal stem cells in place so that they can expose brain tumors to cancer-killing herpes viruses.

"A lot of these applications have no real direct link with mesenchymal stem cells' supposed progenitor cell function," Melero-Martin said. "In our study, we went back to the collective ambition to use these cells as a way to regenerate tissues and we are not in a position to say how that affects other uses that people are proposing."

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The above story is based on materials provided by Harvard University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Research team pursues techniques to improve elusive stem cell therapy

Dr. Lox, 8 WFLA News, Stem Cell Therapy
Dr. Lox | http://www.drlox.com | 727-462-5582 "It was like a miracle" - Watch as Judy Loar describes her experience with Dr. Dennis Lox to WFLA #39;s Gayle Guyardo.

By: Dr. Lox

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Dr. Lox, 8 WFLA News, Stem Cell Therapy - Video

EXTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fibrocell Science, Inc., (NYSE MKT:FCSC), an autologous cell therapy company primarily focused on developing first-in-class treatments for rare and serious skin and connective tissue diseases with high unmet medical needs, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with The Regents of the University of California. Under the agreement, Fibrocell acquired the rights to commercially apply patented discoveries and technologies resulting from the ongoing scientific collaboration between the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Fibrocell Science.

The technologies from the UCLA collaboration and exclusive license agreements enable Fibrocell to expand its proprietary Personalized Biologics platform which uses human fibroblasts and stem cells from skin to create localized therapies that are compatible with the unique biology of each patient. Specifically, the newly licensed patents and technologies relate to two advancements in the therapeutic application of cell therapies:

The technologies from these licenses further strengthen Fibrocells rich development platform, said David Pernock, chairman and chief executive officer of Fibrocell. These potentially transformational technologies offer partnering opportunities for Fibrocell.

The license agreements build upon an existing research collaboration between Fibrocell and UCLA that has already yielded discoveries and technologies related to stem cells and regenerative cells in human skin. Such research is led by James A. Byrne, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in UCLAs Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

About Fibrocell Science, Inc.

Fibrocell Science, Inc. (NYSE MKT:FCSC) is an autologous cell therapy company primarily focused on developing first-in-class treatments for rare and serious skin and connective tissue diseases with high unmet medical needs. Based on its proprietary autologous fibroblast technology, Fibrocell is pursuing breakthrough medical applications of azficel-T for restrictive burn scarring and vocal cord scarring. The companys collaboration with Intrexon Corporation (NYSE:XON), a leader in synthetic biology, includes using genetically-modified fibroblasts for treating rare and serious skin and connective tissue diseases for which there are no currently approved products. For additional information, visit http://www.fibrocellscience.com.

About UCLA

UCLAis Californias largest university, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The UCLA College of Letters and Science and the universitys 11 professional schools feature renowned faculty and offer 337 degree programs and majors. UCLA is a national and international leader in the breadth and quality of its academic, research, health care, cultural, continuing education and athletic programs. Seven alumni and six faculty have been awarded the Nobel Prize.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, and our officers and representatives may from time to time make, statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding (i) our ability to develop breakthrough therapies for the treatment of skin and connective tissues diseases and (ii) our ability to successfully leverage our relationship with UCLA to expand our proprietary Personalized Biologics platform. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of Fibrocell Sciences control. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: (i) uncertainties relating to the initiation and completion of clinical trials; (ii) whether clinical trial results will validate and support the safety and efficacy of azficel-T; and (iii) our ability to establish additional strategic partnerships, as well as those set forth under the caption Item 1A. Risk Factors in Fibrocell Sciences most recent Form 10-K filing, as updated in Item 1A. Risk Factors in Fibrocell Sciences most recent Form 10-Q filing. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. In addition, Fibrocell Science operates in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks may arise. Accordingly, you should not place any reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Fibrocell Science disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statement. You are also urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures in Fibrocell Sciences most recent annual report on Form 10-K, our most recent Form 10-Q as well as other public filings with the SEC since the filing of Fibrocell Sciences most recent annual report.

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

19-Jun-2014

Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in developed countries, and there is an urgent need for more clinically effective treatments. A study published by Cell Press June 19th in Stem Cell Reports reveals that simultaneous transplantation of neural and vascular progenitor cells can reduce stroke-related brain damage and improve behavioral recovery in rodents. The stem cell-based approach could represent a promising strategy for the treatment of stroke in humans.

"Our findings suggest that early cotransplantation treatment can not only replace lost cells, but also prevent further deterioration of the injured brain following ischemic stroke," says senior study author Wei-Qiang Gao of Shanghai Jiaotong University. "With the development of human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell technology, we are optimistic about the potential translation of our research into clinical use."

The most common kind of stroke, known as ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. Although a medicine called tissue plasminogen activator can break up blood clots in the brain, it must be given soon after the start of symptoms to work, and there are no other clinically effective treatments currently available for this condition. Stem cell transplantation represents a promising therapeutic strategy, but transplantation of either neural progenitor cells or vascular cells has shown restricted therapeutic effectiveness.

In the new study, Gao teamed up with colleagues at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, including Jia Li, Yaohui Tang, and Guo-Yuan Yang, to test whether cotransplantation of both neural and vascular precursor cells would lead to better outcomes. They induced ischemic stroke in rats and then simultaneously injected neural and vascular progenitor cells from mice into the stroke-damaged rat brains 24 hours later. The transplanted precursor cells turned into all major types of vascular and brain cells, including mature, functional neurons. The resulting vascular cells developed into microvessels, while the grafted neural cells produced molecules known to stimulate the growth of both neurons and vessels.

"This is the first study to use embryonic stem cell-derived vascular progenitor cells together with neural progenitor cells to treat ischemic stroke," Gao says. "These two types of progenitors generate nearly all types of brain cells, including endothelial cells, pericytes/smooth muscle cells, neurons, and astrocytes, resulting in better restoration of neurovascular units and better replacement of the lost cells in the stroke model. A previously reported cotransplantation approach published in the journal Stem Cells in 2009 (doi: 10.1002/stem.161) was limited because it did not use vascular precursor cells capable of turning into all major types of vascular cells important for recovery. Our findings here suggest that cotransplantation of the two types of cells that restore the neurovascular unit more effectively is a better approach for the treatment of ischemic stroke."

Two weeks after stroke, rats that had undergone cotransplantation showed less brain damage and improved behavioral performance on motor tasks compared with rats that had been treated with neural progenitor cells alone. "Our findings suggest that cotransplantation of neural and vascular cells is much more effective than transplantation of one cell type alone because these two cell types mutually support each other to promote recovery after stroke," Gao says.

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Stem cell-based transplantation approach improves recovery from stroke

Scientists at A*STAR's Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) have discovered a new class of lipids in the leukemia cells that are detected by a unique group of immune cells. By recognising the lipids, the immune cells stimulate an immune response to destroy the leukemia cells and suppress their growth. The newly identified mode of cancer cell recognition by the immune system opens up new possibilities for leukemia immunotherapy.

leukemia is characterized by the accumulation of cancer cells originating from blood cells, in the blood or bone marrow. Current treatments for leukemia largely involve chemotherapy to eradicate all cancer cells, followed by stem cell transplants to restore healthy blood cells in the patients.

In a recent study reported in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM) online, the team co-led by Dr Lucia Mori and Prof Gennaro De Libero identified a new class of lipids, methyl-lysophosphatidic acids (mLPA), which accumulate in leukemia cells. Following which, the team identified a specific group of immune cells, described as mLPA-specific T-cells that are capable of recognising the mLPA in the leukemia cells. The detection triggers an immune response that activates the T cells to kill the leukemia cells and limits cancer progression. The efficacy of the T cells in killing leukemia cells was also demonstrated in a mouse model of human leukemia.

Thus far, only proteins in cancer cells have been known to activate T cells. This study is a pioneer in its discovery of mLPA, and the specific T cells which can identify lipids expressed by cancer cells. Unlike proteins, lipids in cancer cells do not differ between individuals, indicating that the recognition of mLPA by mLPA-specific T-cells happens in all leukemia patients. This new mode of cancer cell recognition suggests that the T-cells can potentially be harnessed for a leukemia immunotherapy that is effective in all patients.

"The identification of mLPA and its role in activating specific T cells is novel. This knowledge not only sheds light on future leukemia studies, but also complements ongoing leukemia immunotherapy studies focusing on proteins in cancer cells," said Dr Lucia Mori, Principal Investigator at SIgN. "Current treatments run the risk of failure due to re-growth of residual leukemia cells that survive after stem cell transplants. T-cell immunotherapy may serve as a complementary treatment for more effective and safer therapeutic approach towards leukemia."

Professor Laurent Renia, Acting Executive Director of SIgN, said, "At SIgN, we study how the human immune system protects us naturally from infections. We engage in promising disease-specific research projects that ultimately pave the way for the development of treatments and drugs which can better combat these diseases. A pertinent example will be this study; this mode of immune recognition of leukemia cells is an insightful discovery that will create new opportunities for immunotherapy to improve the lives of leukemia patients."

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The above story is based on materials provided by A*Star Agency for Science, Technology and Research. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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New possibilities for leukemia therapy with novel mode of leukemia cell recognition

DUBLIN, June 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/v969qd/cell_separation) has announced the addition of the "Cell Separation Technologies Market- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019" report to their offering.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769

This report consists of the market analysis for the various technologies used in the cell separation market. Increasing cell therapy oriented research and development globally is driving the cell separation technologies market towards significant growth. The stakeholders for this report include providers and manufacturers of cell separation technology instruments.

The cell separation technologies market is segmented on the basis of technologies that are available in the market and application areas of cell separation technologies. The various technology segments covered in this report are gradient centrifugation and separation based on surface markers. Separation based on surface markers technology include two different techniques namely, magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS).

The application areas of cell separation technologies comprise stem cell research, immunology, neuroscience research and cancer research. Revenue forecast and market analysis for each segment has been given in this study for the period of 2011 to 2019 in terms of USD million in addition to the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each segment of technology and application. The CAGR is provided for forecast period of 2013 to 2019 and 2012 have been considered as base in year for market size estimation.

Geographically, global cell separation technologies market has been segmented into four areas namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). This report also provides the present and future market estimation in terms of USD million for the period 2011 to 2019, in addition to compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each geographic area. Further to market size estimation, this report provides recommendations and highlights of the market that should be useful for current and new market players to grow and sustain in the global cell separation technologies market.

Market trends and dynamics such as restraints, opportunities and growth drivers that have impact on present and future position of this market are demonstrated in the market overview chapter of this study. In addition, the market overview chapter also consists of Porter's five forces analysis and market attractiveness by geography to give detailed analysis of the entire competitive status of the global cell separation technologies market.

Key information about the top market players operating in the global cell separation technologies market is given in the company profiles section of this report. Some of the key players profiled in this report include BD Bioscience, EMD Millipore, Mitenyi Biotec GmbH, and STEMCELL Technologies, Terumo BCT, pluriSelect GmbH, and Life Technologies (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.).

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1 Introduction

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Cell Separation Technologies Market- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019

It's possible to alter genetic material of stem cells to provide HIV resistance A DNA sequence can be removed from the cells and replaced with another The replacements can be taken from people with natural HIV resistance These altered stem cells can then be used to create HIV-resistant white blood cells

By Emma Innes

Published: 07:57 EST, 11 June 2014 | Updated: 12:03 EST, 11 June 2014

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HIV could be cured by genetically editing stem cells, researchers believe.

U.S. scientists say they have already demonstrated that it is possible to alter the genetic material of some stem cells.

This in turn provides HIV resistance, they report.

A new 'genome editing' technique could be the key to curing HIV. Image shows HIV in human tissue

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Could 'editing' genes be the key to curing HIV? Giving patients altered blood cells could make them resistant to the ...

H-E-B's private label skin care line is the retailers Beauty Pick of the Month.

The formula for EverVescence by H-E-B includes Uttwiler Spatlauber Swiss Apples, which contain stem cells that help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and tired skin.

The line includes: Redefining Eye Cream, Redefining Face Serum and Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15.

As the beauty pick of the month, the line is promoted on heb.com and social media.

The Beauty Pick of the Month is also reviewed by members of H-E-B's beauty panel, which includes H-E-B's employees as well as beauty bloggers.

Among the reviews:

"The eye cream is like a spa treatment with a cooling effect that sinks in and feels fabulous, wrote "Cheryl," online editor for heb.com. Now I can pick up my skincare products at my HEB.

Meanwhile, Liz, H-E-Bs digital marketing manager, said she would recommend all three items to others:

"I used all three as directed and found my skin was softer, she said. The smell was light and not unpleasant like other products I have tried. The products did not irritate my sensitive skin.

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H-E-B promotes store brand skin care line

In January, Jordan passed a law to control research and therapy using human stem cells derived from embryos the first such regulation in the Arab and Islamic region. I was part of the group headed by Abdalla Awidi Abbadi, director of the Cell Therapy Center at the University of Jordan in Amman, that initiated the call for the law and later drafted it. Stem-cell research is a hot topic for Jordan because of the kingdoms status as a health-care hub that draws patients from abroad. It is already one of few countries in the Middle East with regulations for protecting people who participate in clinical trials. This latest law should serve as an example to other countries in the region.

The new rules ban private companies from using human embryonic stem (ES) cells in research or therapies. Such work will be allowed only in government organizations or publicly funded academic institutions in Jordan, which have higher levels of transparency than private firms and are supervised by the health ministry and a specialized committee. The law also bans payment for donations of stem cells and eggs, and says that modified and manipulated cells are not to be used for human reproduction. There is no current research on human ES cells in Jordan; this is a pre-emptive step.

Much of the controversy and disagreement over work on stem cells worldwide arises from the different views of the major religions on the earliest stages of life. Although the use of human ES cells is opposed by the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations, it is generally supported by the Jewish community and accepted in many Muslim countries. There is no consensus on when human embryonic life begins, but the majority of Muslim scholars consider it to start 40120 days after conception and therefore hold the view that a fertilized egg up to 5days old has no soul it is not human life but biological life. So for many, there is no ethical problem in the Islamic faith with using an early embryo to produce stem cells.

All our discussions in Jordan have concluded that stem-cell research is permissible in Islam.

Such conclusions are not easy to reach. Many Muslim countries consider legislation and bioethics principles to be based on three pillars of Islamic law. The first is the Quran. The second is Sunnah, or the legislative decisions of the Prophet Muhammad. The third is ijmaa the consensus of Muslim scholars and ijtihad, the concept that every adequately qualified scholar has the right to independently solve problems. On the basis of these pillars, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia have drawn up guidelines on stem-cell research, but they are not legally binding.

Jordans stem-cell law is the product of years of discussions by committees comprising scientists, physicians, Arabic-language experts, lawyers and Muslim and Christian theologians. The issues that arose confusion between stem cells and embryonic stem cells, for instance were discussed and resolved. We consulted with both the National Committee for Science and Technology Ethics and the education ministry. The final law was approved by the council of Muslim scholars, the Majlis Al-Iftaa.

The council agreed with a 2003 decision (fatwa) by Muslim scholars that allows the use of human ES cells from permissible sources including legally produced excess fertilized eggs from invitro fertilization. The decision to ban private companies from using these cells was driven by concerns that the work would encourage termination of pregnancies, which is illegal in Jordan unless the mothers life or health is at risk. The council was clear that the new law must forbid human reproductive cloning and should not allow embryos to be created from the sperm and eggs of unmarried couples.

The distinction drawn between the various sources of stem cells earlier in the discussion process allowed the Majlis Al-Iftaa to take a more permissive approach to techniques using stem cells that are not derived from human embryos. For example, somatic-cell nuclear transfer (in which a patients DNA is transplanted into an unfertilized human egg that has no nucleus) and induced pluripotent stem cells, which are made from adult cells, can be worked on by the private sector under the new rules.

The therapeutic use of bone-marrow transplantation including transplants of blood-forming stem cells is well established in Jordan. Such procedures are already regulated by existing laws on medical practice, so the new law makes a clear distinction between these techniques and human ES-cell therapy.

The legislation not only covers all current aspects of stem-cell research and use, but also leaves room for later modification. It mandates the creation of a national committee that, among other things, will take responsibility for laying out specific regulations for stem-cell banking in accordance with international standards.

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Jordans stem-cell law can guide the Middle East

Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) June 12, 2014

Nebulized Pure PRP may offer COPD sufferers a less expensive and an effective alternative to stem cell therapy. When normal injury occurs, platelets are stimulated to release growth factors, cytokines and other immune system components in what is called the inflammatory phase of healing. In the lungs, platelets can adhere to injured or inflamed endothelial cells where they start the healing process. It is believed that by increasing the number of platelets in the lungs through this method, it is possible to decrease inflammation and accelerate the healing process in the lungs. Platelets are vehicles for the delivery of growth factors (PDGF, TGF-, IGF, EGF, VEGF) that induce proliferation of fibroblasts, osteoblasts and endothelial cells, promoting and accelerating healing of hard and soft tissues.

Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma also contains fibrin, fibronectin and vitronectin that act as cell adhesion molecules for lung epithelial migration. Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma treatment has been evaluated in various medical disciplines including orthopaedics, wound healing, neurosurgery, dentistry as well as cosmetic, plastic and cardiothoracic surgery. Nebulized Pure PRP treatment holds much promise and is being researched for its applications.

This new medical advance can bring effective and affordable healthcare to many patients with COPD. It is also attractive because the patients own blood is used thus, limiting the potential for disease transmission.

Our key product differentiation is to enable the Pure PRP treatment to be applied to patients who are suffering from COPD. COPD is the most dangerous disease in the elderly, affecting more than 200 million people across the globe. COPD is considered to be the cause of about 3 million deaths annually. This is a life-threatening disease caused by many reasons such as smoking, pollution, dust, irritants, genetic disorders, etc. It is associated with the excess production of sputum and an inflammation which obstructs the airways and results in breathing problems.

Though there is no cure for COPD, the condition can be controlled with the help of treatments. Stem cell therapy which has proved to be one of the most successful treatments for many chronic health conditions like heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, etc., has given a ray of hope in favor of COPD. Stem cells are known for their regenerative properties which help in the development of the tissues and blood cells. These cells are of two types: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can be derived from blastocyst which is a type of embryo; whereas adult stem cells are found in the bone marrow, skin, umbilical cord, placenta and many other tissues. Embryonic stem cells are derived and are grown in cell culture for research and development. But adult stem cells, once removed from the body, divide with great difficulty which makes the treatment difficult to perform. The stem cells are either from the person itself who needs it which is known as autologous stem cell or they can be received from a donor which is known as allogeneic stem cell.

Cells donated by the donor may or may not be accepted by the bodys immune system. Hence, using ones own stem cells reduces the chances of rejection. In COPD, the tissues and cells of the lungs are destroyed, which causes various types of complications. Hence, with the help of stem cell therapy, the destroyed or damaged cells can be regenerated and new lung tissues can be formed. According to the procedure followed by the International Stem Cell Institute (ISCI); San Diego, California, adipose tissue is removed from the patient and is processed with a combination of platelet rich plasma which contains growth factors that help in the process of cell multiplication and development. This helps in COPD treatment as whenever the lungs need repair, about 80% of the stem cells reach the repairing site through the circulatory system. When the blood passes through the lungs, stem cells get trapped in the space where there is damage. The stem cells then start multiplying and repairing the tissue. The recovery does not take place immediately, but improvement can be noticed in 3 to 6 months. It helps in the suppression of inflammation, improves breathing and cures many pulmonary complications. Our Nebulized Pure PRP System aims to support this proposition to treat COPD patients. Treatments run about $1,000 and insurance does not currently pay for this treatment.

Contact our office at (941) 330-8553 to find out more about how Nebulized Pure PRP can offer you relief from symptoms of COPD. Also we are at http://advancedwellness.us/blog2/nebulized-platelet-rich-plasma-prp-for-asthma-copd-and-systemic-growth-effects-in-athletics/

Click to learn more about this treatment.

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New Stem Cell Based Treatment for COPD; Nebulized Pure PRP System Uses Blood Growth Factors That Can Trigger Healing ...

Beverly HIlls, California (PRWEB) June 09, 2014

The top stem cell doctor in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles at Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute are now offering stem cell procedures for hip arthritis. The stem cell therapy typically provides pain relief along with being able to delay or avoid the need for joint replacement. Call (310) 438-5343 for more information and scheduling.

Dr. Raj, Medical Director at Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute, is a Double Board Certified orthopedic doctor who has been a pioneer in stem cell therapy for musculoskeletal conditions. Several types of stem cell procedures are offered including bone marrow derived along with amniotic derived procedures.

For the bone marrow stem cell procedures, a short outpatient procedure involves harvesting bone marrow from the patient's iliac crest. The stem cells are immediately processed to concentrate the growth factors and cells, and then they are injected into the hip for pain relief and tissue regeneration.

For the amniotic derived procedures, the fluid is obtained from consenting donors after a scheduled c-section procedure. There is no fetal tissue utilized, and the fluid is processed at an FDA regulated laboratory. An immense amount of stem cells, growth factors and hyaluronic acid are present in the amniotic material.

Dr. Raj has performed a significant amount of stem cell procedures utilizing both methods for hip arthritis, with the results being stellar to date. Being Double Board Certified and a sports medicine expert, Dr. Raj also offers stem cell procedures for sports injuries such as tendonitis and ligament injuries. This includes rotator cuff tendonitis, knee injuries, elbow tendonitis and more.

Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute is the premier stem cell clinic in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Dr. Raj is an ABC News Medical Correspondent and a WebMD Medical Expert. For information on how stem cell therapy can help, call Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute at (310) 438-5343.

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Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Now Offering Revolutionary Stem Cell Procedures for Hip Arthritis to Avoid Joint ...

Farmington, CT (PRWEB) June 05, 2014

ImStem Biotechnology, Inc. (ImStem) announced today it has successfully treated an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS) using human embryonic stem cells (hESC) derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), called hES-MSCs.

MS is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease with no cure. Most current MS therapies offer only palliative relief without repairing damaged nerve cells. Adult tissues such as bone marrow derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) may reduce neuroinflammation and promote nerve cell regeneration in MS, which are currently being tested in MS clinical trials. However, the application of adult-tissue derived MSCs has significant limitations since these cells must be obtained from a limited number of healthy donors, constraining the availability of this treatment and also resulting in variations in treatment quality.

Now researchers from ImStem, in collaboration with University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC) and Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., demonstrates that hES-MSCs, which have unlimited stable supply, significantly reduce the disease severity in a mouse model of MS. They also found that hES-MSCs are more effective in treating animal model of MS than MSCs from bone marrow of adult human donors (BM-MSC). This work is published in the June 5th 2014 online edition of Stem Cell Reports, the official journal of International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) by Cell Press.

The beauty of hES-MSCs (embryonic stem cell derived) is their consistently high efficacy in MS model. We found that BM-MSC (adult stem cell) lines show poor or no efficacy in MS animal model and also expressing more proinflammatory cytokines. This definitely adds more advantages to hES-MSCs, which are younger, purer and express the right factors" says the lead author Dr. Xiaofang Wang, CTO of ImStem.

"These great advantages perfectly match the requirements for safety and quality of clinical-grade MSCs as a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases. says Dr. Ren-He Xu, corresponding author of the article, CSO of ImStem, now a professor at the University of Macau.

Dr. Joel Pachter, a UCHC collaborator, observed fluorescently labeled hES-MSCs but not BM-MSCs effectively penetrated the blood brain barrier and migrated into inflamed spinal cord. He remarks, "This difference is extraordinary as it could hold a key to the therapeutic action(s) of hES-MSCs. MSCs might require access to specific sites within the central nervous system in order to remediate disease."

"This was unexpected as bone marrow MSCs are widely believed to be effective in this EAE animal model. Our data indicate that the use of BM-MSCs is highly variable and there may be a previously unrecognized risk of poor outcome associated with proinflammatory cytokines produced by these cells," says Dr. Stephen Crocker, another UCHC collaborator.

The cells not only reduced the clinical symptoms of multiple sclerosis but prevented demyelination, which disrupts the ability of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a wide range of symptoms in patients, including blurred vision, loss of balance, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, paralysis and blindness, says Dr. Robert Lanza, one of the senior authors from ACT.

Imstem was founded by Dr. Xiaofang Wang and Dr. Ren-He Xu, former director of UConn Stem Cell Core in 2012. In 2013, ImStem was awarded a $1.13M grant from the State of Connecticut Stem Cell Research Program and a $150,000 pre-seed fund from Connecticut Innovations. With these supports, ImStem has improved the hES-MSC technology with better efficiency and safety and has developed clinical grade hES-MSCs in its cGMP facility. ImStem is now seeking approval for Phase I clinical trials using its hES-MSCs and is looking for investors to expedite the progress.

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ImStem Biotechnology, Inc. Advances Multiple Sclerosis Treatment with Embryonic Stem Cells

The great promise of stem cells may finally be getting close for multiple sclerosis patients.

Stem cells, which have the power to transform into other types of cells, have been much anticipated for more than a decade as a way to treat or even cure diseases like MS, Parkinson's, blindness and spinal cord injuries. But it's taken time to turn that promise into a workable reality.

Two new studies, both published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, suggest that researchers are getting close.

"We haven't landed on the moon yet, but we've tested the rockets," said Jeanne Loring, author of one of the studies and a professor and director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

Her study found that a certain type of stem cell, injected once into the spinal cords of mice with an MS-like condition, could dramatically improve the animals for at least six months.

The mice's immune systems almost immediately rejected and destroyed the cells, known as human embryonic stem cell-derived neural precursor cells. But the cells seemed to trigger a long-lasting benefit, dampening inflammation to slow the disease's progression, and repairing the damaged sheathing around nerve cells that is the hallmark of MS, according to Thomas Lane, a neural immunologist at the University of Utah who helped lead the research.

The other study, led by researchers from the University of Connecticut Health Center, ImStem Biotechnology Inc. of Farmington, Conn., and Advanced Cell Technology, a Massachusetts-based biotech, showed that mice with an MS-like disease could be restored to near normal by injecting them with a different type of stem cell. When injected, these cells ?? mesenchymal stem cells derived from human embryonic stem cells ?? were able to home in on damaged cells in the nervous system, even crossing the blood-brain barrier, said one of the authors, Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer of Advanced Cell.

They not only reduced the symptoms of the disease, but prevented more damage to nerve cells, he said.

The two studies together "speak to the changing role of stem cells and their potential as treatment strategies for MS," said Tim Coetzee with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, an advocacy group. The idea of using stem cells in MS has been around for a while, but these two studies overcome some of the challenges of finding a therapy that can be consistent and effective for many people.

"They set the stage quite impressively for potential work in humans," he said, with clinical trials likely within the next few years.

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New stem cells may help in battling multiple sclerosis

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

5-Jun-2014

Contact: Robert Miranda cogcomm@aol.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Putnam Valley, NY. (June 5, 2014) A study by a Korean team of neuroscientists has concluded that when mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs; multipotent structural stem cells capable of differentiation into a variety of cell types) are transplanted into the brains of mice modeled with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the cells stimulate neural cell growth and repair in the hippocampus, a key brain area damaged by AD. The finding could lead to improved AD therapies.

The study will be published in a future issue of Cell Transplantation and is currently freely available on-line as an unedited early e-pub at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/pre-prints/content-CT1059Oh.

Neuroscientists know that Alzheimer's disease is caused by the presence of amyloid-B (AB) "plaques" and "tangles" in the brain's network of neurons. Recently, a protein signaling pathway called "Wnt" (Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) related integration site family) which plays a role in embryonic development as well as the development of some diseases, such as cancer, has been linked to Alzheimer's disease. Researchers speculate that an interruption in the Wnt pathway signaling process caused by the AB plaque buildup may have an impact on potential brain cell renewal processes, called neurogenesis. Evidence has indicated that the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD.

This study was carried out to determine if MSCs benefitted neurogenesis in the hippocampus by "modulating" the Wnt pathway in such a way that that the MSCs are able to differentiate into neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs) that could help rebuild the affected areas of the brain.

"Recent studies have shown that MSCs express various proteins related to the Wnt pathway," said study co-author Dr. Phil Hyu Lee, Department of Neurology, Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. "It has also been determined that MSCs derived from bone marrow produce biologically active Wnt proteins that may counteract the negative influence of AB on neuronic activity."

The authors report that MSC treatment of AD in cellular and animal models significantly increased hippocampal neurogenesis and enhanced neuronal differentiation of NPCs.

"Our data suggest that the modulation of adult neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation to repair the damaged AD brain using MSCs could have a significant impact on future strategies for AD treatment," the researchers concluded.

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Stem cells found to play restorative role when affecting brain signaling process

Scientists Grow Human Cartlilage Using Stem Cells

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Scientists Grow Human Cartlilage Using Stem Cells - Video

WASHINGTON Scientists have come up with a bright idea to repair teeth And they say their concept using laser light to entice the bodys own stem cells into action may offer enormous promise beyond just dentistry in the field of regenerative medicine.

The researchers used a low-power laser to coax dental stem cells to form dentin, the hard tissue that makes up most of a tooth, in studies involving rats and mice and using human cells in a laboratory. The study appeared in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

They did not regenerate an entire tooth in part because the enamel part was too tricky. But merely getting dentin to grow could help alleviate the need for root canal treatment, the painful procedure to remove dead or dying nerve tissue and bacteria from inside a tooth, they said.

Im a dentist by training. So I think it has potential for great impact in clinical dentistry, researcher Praveen Arany of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, said Friday. Arany expressed hope that human clinical trials could get approval in the near future.

Our treatment modality does not introduce anything new to the body, and lasers are routinely used in medicine and dentistry, so the barriers to clinical translation are low, added Harvard University bioengineering professor David Mooney. It would be a substantial advance in the field if we can regenerate teeth rather than replace them.

Using existing regeneration methods, scientists must take stem cells from the body, manipulate them in a lab and put them back into the body. This new technique stimulates action in stem cells that are already in place.

Scientists had long noticed that low-level laser therapy can stimulate biological processes like rejuvenating skin and stimulating hair growth but were not sure of the mechanisms. Arany noted the importance of finding the right laser dose, saying: Too low doesnt work and too high causes damage.

The researchers found that laser exposure of the tooth at the right intensity prompted certain oxygen-containing molecules to activate a cell protein that is known to be involved in development, healing and immune functions.

This protein in turn directed stem cells present in tooth pulp to turn into dentin. Stem cells are master cells that are capable of transforming into various types of tissues in the body.

The question is whether using this method could get other stem cells to become useful in laser-induced regenerative medicine. Arany said he is hopeful it can be used in healing wounds, regenerating cardiac tissue, dealing with inflammation issues and fixing bone damage, among other applications.

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Phil Reyes, one of the Parkinson's patients in Summit 4 Stem Cell, urges California's stem cell agency to support its research.

A potentially groundbreaking trial to treat spinal cord injuries with tissue grown from human embryonic stem cells will resume, after being funded by the California's stem cell agency.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine's governing committee approved without opposition a $14.3 million award to Asterias Biotherapeutics of Menlo Park. Asterias is taking over from Geron, which stopped clinical trials in November, 2011. Geron, also of Menlo Park, said it discontinued the trials for business reasons. Asterias is a subsidiary of Alameda-based BioTime.

Patients will be given transplants of neural tissue grown from the embryonic stem cells. The hope is that the cells will repair the severed connections, restoring movement and sensation below the injury site.

CIRM also unanimously approved a $5.6 million grant for another potential breakthrough: a clinical trial by Sangamo Biosciences of Richmond, Calif, to cure HIV infection with gene therapy. The trial is now in Phase II. Immune cells are taken from the patient and given a mutant form of a gene that HIV uses to get inside the cells. The mutated gene resists infection. The genetically altered cells are then given back to the patient.

Approval of both grants had been expected, as staff reports had recommended their approval. The agency met in San Diego.

In addition CIRM's Independent Citizens Oversight Committee funded $16.2 million in grants to bring three stem cell researchers to California. That vote was more contentious, with some committee members arguing that it made no sense to bring more scientists to California without a specific need. In addition, they argued that CIRM's main emphasis needs to be on funding clinical trials.

Member Jeff Sheehy said that bringing the scientists to California doesn't create more scientific capacity. However, a vote to deny funding failed, and a subsequent vote to approve funding passed.

CIRM is projected to run out of its $3 billion in bond funding by 2017, and supporters of the public agency are considering asking California voters for more money.

Also appearing at the CIRM meeting were advocates of funding a stem cell-based therapy for Parkinson's disease. The therapy, which may be approved in 2015 for a clinical trial, uses artificial embryonic stem cells called induced pluripotent stem cells grown from the patient's own skin cells. The group, Summit 4 Stem Cell, plans to ask for funding to help with the trial in the near future.

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Spinal cord, HIV stem cell treatments funded