Global Stem Cells Group and Portal Medestetica to Launch Latin American Stem Cell Portal
By LizaAVILA
MIAMI (PRWEB) December 01, 2014
GlobalStemCellsGroup.com has announced plans to team with Portal Medestetica, the largest physician portal in Lain America, to launch Portalstemcells.com, a new portal dedicated to providing physicians in Spain and Latin America with relevant information, clinical research news and products relating to stem cells and regenerative medicine.
The new collaboration between Global Stem Cells Group and Portal Medestetica will answer a growing need to expand the reach of high-impact news, studies and breakthroughs, and significantly advance the clinical utilization of stem cell research and clinical trials throughout Latin America. The Portalstemcells.com site is designed to help promote the latest state-of-the-art developments in regenerative medicine as they become available, and to share educational content with physicians throughout the region.
Portalstemcells.com will be the ideal vehicle to promote education and cutting-edge science throughout the region, says Ricardo de Cubas, founder of Global Stem Cells Group. The potential of regenerative medicine and stem cells therapies inspiring the medical community to find real opportunities to repair or replace tissue damaged from disease, relieve pain and provide the potential for curing chronic diseases where no cure existed before.
The Portalstemcells.com site is aimed at fostering growth and ethical development in the fast-moving field of stem cell medicine by filling a gap in the resources available throughout Latin America. The goal is to elevate the delivery of stem cell science in order to impact the lives of many patients worldwide.
For more information visit the Global Stem Cells website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.
About the Global Stem Cells Group:
Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions.
With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.
Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.
Read the rest here:
Global Stem Cells Group and Portal Medestetica to Launch Latin American Stem Cell Portal
Stem Cell Therapy Skin Repair, Anti Aging and Anti Wrinkle Cream – As Seen On Tv – Look Younger – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Stem Cell Therapy Skin Repair, Anti Aging and Anti Wrinkle Cream - As Seen On Tv - Look Younger
http://www.ReadTheReviewsFirst.com Truvisage Anti-Aging Skin Care System Free Trial.
By: Greg Smith
Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury
By daniellenierenberg
At Stem Cell Treatment Institute advanced stem cell procedures are performed at some of the most scientifically advanced hospitals in the world. Stem cell therapy is focused on affecting physical changes in the Spinal Cord that can improve a patient's quality of life. Spinal Cord Injury patients can be treated by lumbar puncture (injecting the cells into the cerebrospinal fluid), IV, or other techniques. Typically this is an outpatient procedure. however patients may stay for 4 or 5 nights in our suites during the process.
Treatment using autologous (patient source) or donor cells (placenta) are available
If Autologous Bone Marrow is used bone marrow is collected from the patient's iliac crest (hip bone) using thin-needle puncture under local anesthesia. Once the bone marrow collection is complete, patients may return to their suite or hotel and go about normal activities.
The stem cells are then processed in a state-of-the-art laboratory. In the lab, both the quantity and quality of the stem cells are measured. The stem cells are then implanted back into the patient by lumbar puncture or IV.
Cost: Stem cell treatments begin around $13,500 (adults).
To contact us and learn more Click Here >>>
We offer Stem Cell treatments with enhanced or manipulated stem cells. These expanded and mobilized stem cells have been found to provide better results than non-manipulated stem cell applications. Manipulation or amplification of the stem cells is done in the lab, where care is taken to retain the cell properties. These expanded and mobilized cells provide superior results and cell recovery has been found to occur twice as fast as with non-manipulated stem cell applications.
Studies where both types of cells were used show that results were quicker and were obtained predominantly from the manipulated stem cells.
Stem Cells can come from the patients fat or bone marrow, but stem cells from donor placenta or umbilical cord blood is also available and may have improved benefits. Donor characteristics (i.e., age) play a key role in treatment success. Your individual situation will be considered and suitable options will be discussed.
As we age our stem cells become less effective. For this reason younger cells are often preferred. We do not need to go all the way back to an early stage embryo to get young cells. Young cord blood cells can be used from The Placenta, Umbilical Cord, and other young sources. These cord blood cells are more likely than stem cells found in bone marrow to have proliferative properties. This means that stem cells found in cord blood have a greater ability to regenerate.
See original here:
Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury – Stem Cells Australia
By raymumme
The Safety and Efficacy of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in Spinal Cord Injury Patients Location: China
Overview: This trial aims to investigate transplantation of umbilical cord stem cells from patients with paraplegia. The study is being conducted at the General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces in Haidian. Stem cells derived from donated umbilical cord blood will be given to the trial participants via the femoral artery. The trial expect to enrol 20 patients with traumatic paraplegia [levels T10 through to L2] between April 2012 and December 2013. Participants will be assessed for complications and for improvement in functions such as bladder contracting capacity as well as sensory responsiveness.
Trial Design: Safety and Efficacy Study
Status: Open - Recruiting
Stem Cell: Umbilical Cord Stem Cells
Intrathecal Transplantation Of Autologous Adipose Tissue Derived MSC in the Patients with Spinal Cord Injury Location: South Korea
Overview: This trial is investigating the effects of stem cells from the patient's own fat in the treatment of chronic spinal cord injury. The trial is being conducted at the Korea University Anam Hospital in Seoul and plans to recruit 15 participants. The fat stem cells will be injected into the fluid surrounding the spinal (intrathecal injection) three times over approximately two months. Participants will be monitored for complications and assessed for changes in neurological and sensory function. The trial is expected to complete in December 2013.
Trial Design: Safety and Efficacy Study
Status: Open - Recruiting
Stem Cell: Adult Fatty Tissue Stem Cells
Read the original:
Spinal Cord Injury - Stem Cells Australia
Advances reshape stem cell research
By NEVAGiles23
A decade ago, a dream team of researchers from Pittsburgh to South Korea claimed a medical invention that promised to reshape a culture war.
The scientists said they custom-designed stem cells from cloned human embryos. The scientific breakthrough was celebrated around the globe.
Then the bottom fell out.
A scandal erupted over fabricated data, and University of Pittsburgh biologist Gerald Schatten was forced to pull back the findings. Critics cast the 2004 discovery as a farce, a high-profile fraud that forced the journal Science into a rare retraction in January 2006.
Eight years later, the push to use stem cells as a medical treatment continues, but scholars balk at the suggestion that anyone is trying to make genetically identical individuals.
We're not here to clone human beings, for gosh sakes, said John Gearhart, a stem cell researcher and University of Pennsylvania professor in regenerative medicine. Instead, he said, scholars are working to manipulate stem cells to produce heart cells for cardiac patients, brain cells for neurological patients and other custom transplants that could match a person's genetic makeup.
Schatten's work continues at the Magee-Womens Research Institute at Pitt, where university officials cleared him of scientific misconduct, and he remains a vice chairman for research development. He focuses on educating and training physician-scientists and other scientists, a school spokeswoman wrote in a statement. She said Schatten was traveling and was unable to speak with the Tribune-Review.
Researchers have turned the onetime myth of developing stem cells into reality.
At the Oregon Health and Science University, researchers succeeded by blending unfertilized human eggs with body tissue to mold stem cells. Scholars say the cells could let doctors grow customized organs for transplants and other therapies.
The approach engineered by biologist Shoukhrat Mitalipov's research team last year in Portland is among two that scientists are using to forge laboratory-made stem cells the so-called master cells that can transform into other body parts without relying on donated human embryos. Federal law tightly controls the use of taxpayer money for embryonic research.
See the article here:
Advances reshape stem cell research
Latest Hair Loss Research : Stem Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Nutrition for Hair Loss – Video
By daniellenierenberg
Latest Hair Loss Research : Stem Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Nutrition for Hair Loss
For More Details Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/SuperStemCellNutrition.
By: Palu Sot
Read more from the original source:
Latest Hair Loss Research : Stem Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Nutrition for Hair Loss - Video
Spinal cord has successfully been grown in a lab
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Researchers from the University of Dresden have usedembryonic stem cells to grow an intact spinal cord in a petri dish, the team reported this week. Its an enormous achievement in a field that has long viewed neural tissue as the ultimate challenge, and one which could give hope to millions of people suffering fromspinal cord injuries.
Neurons, the cells that form the thinking matrix of your brain and carry its orders to the rest of your body, are very difficult to grow. For a long time growing neurons was thought to be impossible, but then it was discovered that olfactory neurons regrow. This is why you can lose your sense of smell for a few days then slowly regain it; the neuron ends, basically open-ended synapses facing into your nasal cavity, areburned away by corrosive smells, butslowly growback. Intense study followed this discovery, as scientists tried to track down how our olfactory neurons regrow, and others packed them directly into severed spinal cords with real success. In the image above, olfactory neurons have granted a lab rat regains some ability to walk again after being paralyzed (though to be fair, those same researchers are the ones who paralyzed it).
Even if you can grow one, the spinal cord still needs to form connections with an incredible number of body parts.
Now, rather than trying toforceour spinal neurons to act like nasalones, this German teammay have a way of making new ones from scratch. Certain diseases and massive injuries could easily render a spine beyond all hope of repair, but in such a situation a full replacement might still work. Remember, though, that one of the reasons neurons are hard to work with is that they must form complex synaptic connections with other neurons to work properly; just growing the spinal cord is only half the battle, and the patients body still has to accept the new routing hardware and integrate it properly.Still, even just the ability to closelyobserve the growth ofa full spinal cord could move neuronal research forward by leaps and bounds.
This technique worked essentially by letting the stem cells go to work and getting as far out of the way as possible; rather than introducing some novel new growth factor, the researchers basically just created an environment where the spine could grow just like it would in a body. Their setup involved inserting small bubbles of stem cells into a nutrient-rich growth mediumand letting them go from there.Given all the opportunities they required, the cells naturally started coordinating andshuntinggrowth factors around most notably the trio of hedgehog signaling molecules.
The teams diagram shows inserted ESC colonies growing into larger cysts which eventually associate.
The most famous of the three-member band, both for its name and its function, is Sonic Hedgehog, which can stimulate directed neuron growth through itsconcentration gradient. A high concentration of Sonic Hedgehog leads the cord to growmotor neurons tocarry the brains muscular commands, while a lower concentration near the top of the cord will lead to interneurons that wire up the spine itself. This is roughly analogous to growth factors in trees, where the widen the trunk molecule is made at the bottom and ferried up, and the split the trunk into branches molecule is made at the top and ferried down; the two opposing concentration gradients lead to the tree-shaped trees we all know so well, with branches becoming less common toward the bottom, where trunk-width takes priority.
In this case, the stem cells and spinal cord were froma mouse, which allowed for lower cost and ethical considerations, butthe principles of growth and signaling should bethe same. This technique made use of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), which in humans must be collected from fertility clinics and similar, but the ultimate human progenitor cell might not be necessary to further research. As scientists come to understand the mechanics of this breakthrough better, and replicate its results a few more times, it would presumably become possible to begin thisprocesswithinduced stem cells made from adult tissue. If not, this will remain an interesting research tool with little real-world applicabilitydue to the costs and regulatory problemswith ESCs.
Star Trek had a spinal transplant episode but even in the 24th century, its an experimental procedure.
Lab-grown organs are coming far, fast. Somewhere in the world today there are gel baths and petri dishes growing human bladders, eyes, and penises, esophagi, livers, and breasts. Even the quest for lab grown meatfalls under the same basic research umbrella, as scientists use similartechniques to create high quality chicken andbovine skeletal muscle. As with this spinal cord, each of these areas of research is trying to create laboratory conditions that perfectly mimic the body, so cells grow and develop normally.
See the original post here:
Spinal cord has successfully been grown in a lab
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Harvest
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Author: Ian Murnaghan BSc (hons), MSc - Updated: 11 September 2014 | Comment
A bone marrow stem cell transplant uses stem cells derived from bone marrow to provide a fresh and healthy source of new blood cells which in turn, allows for a patient to receive higher doses of chemotherapy to treat certain types of cancer such as leukaemia. This ultimately means that a person has a better chance of surviving cancer. The bone marrow stem cells may be allogeneic and therefore donated by a family member of stranger, or they may be autologous, which utilizes a patient's own stem cells.
Bone marrow stem cells are found in bone marrow and in a person's blood. After stem cells multiply, they form immature blood cells, which are then subject to a collection of changes that allow them to develop into mature blood cells. Once mature, the blood cells migrate from the marrow and are introduced into the bloodstream, where they provide important functions in keeping the body alive and healthy.
A patient will usually receive some chemotherapy to reduce cancer cells before stem cells are collected. The harvested stem cells are also treated to ensure that no cancer cells remain. Higher doses of chemotherapy are then given, sometimes alongside complete body radiation, to confirm that no cancer remains. Stem cells are then transplanted back into the body via a rapid injection. Stem cells will eventually migrate to the bone marrow, where they latch onto other cells there and develop into the different blood cells.
Stem cells are then infused into the patient via an intravenous line over several hours. Stem cells travel to the patient's bone marrow where they develop and produce the blood cells necessary for blood functioning. Patients may also still be given drug therapy for some time to reduce the chances of immune rejection.
Bone marrow stem cell harvests are clearly a life saving technique for those suffering from certain cancers such as leukaemia. They are one of the 'older' stem cell therapies and have been proven effective for decades now. There are, however, still issues of rejection that warrant further development and refinement of stem cell harvesting techniques. It is hoped that scientists will continue to focus on research to improve the odds of success for this important treatment.
You might also like...
Leave a Comment, Ask for Advice or Share Your Story...
Sohaila Reda - 9-Aug-14 @ 5:06 PM
Continue reading here:
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Harvest
Cell Therapy Limited on Crowdcube – Repairing Broken Hearts – Video
By raymumme
Cell Therapy Limited on Crowdcube - Repairing Broken Hearts
HeartcelTM is a novel stem cell therapy that can regenerate the heart following heart failure - a Cell Therapy Ltd Medicine.
By: Cell Therapy Ltd
Read more:
Cell Therapy Limited on Crowdcube - Repairing Broken Hearts - Video
Stem Cells Enhancement Naturally! – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Stem Cells Enhancement Naturally!
How to Enhance Your Bone Marrow Stem Cells.
By: Dave W Easter
See the original post here:
Stem Cells Enhancement Naturally! - Video
Stranger Donates Stem Cells In Hopes Of Curing New York Woman With Leukemia
By NEVAGiles23
CBS New York (con't)
Affordable Care Act Updates: CBSNewYork.com/ACA
Health News & Information: CBSNewYork.com/Health
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) A New York woman battling leukemia was especially grateful this Thanksgiving, as she credited the kindness of a total stranger with helping save her life.
They found the donor, and it was just basically like a weight lifted off my shoulders, said Jeanine Walsh, 38.
As CBS2s Dr. Max Gomez reported Thursday, Walsh the mother of two young children has been battling leukemia for the second time in two years.
I was in total and complete shock, she said.
No members of Walshs family were a match for her, but a willing donor was found through the national registry. Peripheral stem cells were collected from the donor, located in the Western U.S., earlier this week.
The process took just a few hours.
We attach the patient, that is the donor, to a machine. The machine takes blood form the donor, filters out the stem cells if you will, and returns the rest of the blood to the donor, said Dr. Michael Schuster, director of stem cell transplantation at Stony Brook University Hospital.
See the original post here:
Stranger Donates Stem Cells In Hopes Of Curing New York Woman With Leukemia
Stem Cell Therapy Project – Video
By JoanneRUSSELL25
Stem Cell Therapy Project
Daniel, John, Magno, Thahn, Victor, Vivian show the world just exactly what stem cells really are.
By: John Peterman
Continue reading here:
Stem Cell Therapy Project - Video
Stem Cell Therapy – BioLogic Anti-Aging Skin Cream – Video
By raymumme
Stem Cell Therapy - BioLogic Anti-Aging Skin Cream
http://www.ReadTheReviewsFirst.com Truvisage Anti-Aging Skin Care International Is Better Than Botox!
By: Greg Smith
Continued here:
Stem Cell Therapy - BioLogic Anti-Aging Skin Cream - Video
Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Equine Tendon Injuries – Video
By NEVAGiles23
Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Equine Tendon Injuries
A brief explanation of tendon injuries and how stem cell therapy can be used to treat them.
By: Animal Science
View post:
Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Equine Tendon Injuries - Video
Swiss Apple Stem Cells for perfect skin. What do plant …
By NEVAGiles23
This active ingredient won the prize in European Innovation Best Active Ingredient in 2008. It is a revolutionary technology designed to protect human skin stem cells with the help of stem cells from a rare Swiss apple. The clinical trials conducted by the company who discovered this ingredient showed that 100% of the participants saw a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles after using a solution containing 2% PhytoCellTech Malus Domestica.
According to the Bible, Adam bit into an apple (coaxed on by us femme fatales) and deprived Earth of Heaven...was he attracted by the delicious taste or did he already know of the amazing youth-boosting properties of this fruit?
PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica is an award-winning patented liposomal preparation, so containing tiny bubbles made out of the same material as cell membranes, based on the stem cells of a rare Swiss apple called Uttwiler Sptlauber that derives from a seedling planted in the middle of the18th century. Uttwiler Sptlauber is an endangered apple variety that is well-known for its ability to be stored for long periods without shrivelling and thus its longevity potential. The apples are rich in phytonutrients, proteins and long-living cells. A novel technology has now been developed enabling the cultivation of rare and endangered species like Uttwiler Sptlauber. Thanks to this technology, plant stem cells can be obtained and incorporated into skin care products to enhance the longevity of skin cells. Not only does it protect the skins own stem cells but has been shown to have excellent age-delaying and anti-wrinkle properties, and is currently one of the most pioneering and exciting ingredients in skin care.
Stem Cells and Longevity
Longevity is related to specific cells called stem cells which have a unique growth characteristic. These cells can make identical copies of themselves as well as differentiate (in other words, split) to become separate, specialised cells. Two basic types of stem cells are present in the human body:
Embryonic stem cells found in blastocysts (structures found in the human pre-embryonic stage) can grow and differentiate into one of the more than 220 different cell types which make up the human body;
Adult stem cells located in some adult tissues can only differentiate into their own or related cell types. These cells act as a repair system for the body but also maintain the normal turnover of regenerative organs such as blood, skin or intestinal tissues.
Research on Stem Cells and Applications
Currently in medicine, adult stem cells are already used particularly in transplant medicine to treat leukemia and severe burns. In the cosmetic field, scientists are focusing their research on adult stem cells located in the skin. They are studying the potential of this type of cells, their functioning and aging. This research is helping us understand how to protect skin stem cells.
Stem Cells in the Human Skin
See the original post here:
Swiss Apple Stem Cells for perfect skin. What do plant ...
Scientists use stem cells to correct skin defects
By LizaAVILA
New research has found evidence that stem cells could be used to correct genetic defects in skin and to treat certain rare diseases.
Three separate studies by scientists in the US, Europe and Japan have raised hopes that the methods could be used to develop treatments for a range of problems, including epidermolysis bullosa.
It is a disorder wheresufferers are born with extensive blistering and patches of missing skin.
They areleft with extremely fragile skin for all of their lives.
In the first study, the researchers used Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) - adult cells that are reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state.
The scientists took diseased cells from three adult patients withepidermolysis bullosa.
The researchers converted the cells into iPSCs and used specialist tools to edit and fix the mutation in the genetic code responsible for defective collagen protein production, which causes the condition.
They then grew pieces of human skin that produced the correct collagen, and grafted them into mice where they lasted for three weeks.
It i's hoped the risk of rejection in humans will be minimal because the skin is made from the patient's own cells.
A second study confirmed these findings in the lab, showing that it is possible to genetically correct iPSCs from mice with epidermolysis bullosa and use the repaired cells to heal blistered skin.
Continued here:
Scientists use stem cells to correct skin defects
Ageless Derma Introduces Their Latest Innovation: Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask
By Sykes24Tracey
Irvine, California (PRWEB) November 27, 2014
The Ageless Derma skin care company has just released their latest development in the form of a facial mask that exfoliates skin with ingredients such as apple stem cells to renew the complexion and correct texture and tone. The companys Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask incorporates the cells of a long-living rare apple with other revitalizing ingredients from nature to result in a gentle mask that is effective and calming.
The Swiss apple, Malus Domestica, has its beginnings that go as far back as 18th century Switzerland. Ageless Derma recognized the importance of this plants stem cell extract for its ability to keep the fruit fresh for extended periods of time without wrinkling or shriveling. The Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask contains the scientific advances that come from the cultivation of these stem cells, having incorporated it into a powerful and effective facial mask to rejuvenate skin and keep wrinkles at bay.
The Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask contains other natural ingredients that work together to keep skin at its purest and return youthful life to the complexion. Kaolin Clay from the earth absorbs toxins that can enter the skins surface due to environmental pollutants in the air. The clay helps draw out grime and purify skin. Sweet Almond Oil nourishes skin, and adds much needed moisture and smoothness. Safflower Oil improves the texture of skin; especially skin that has become roughened with time and sun exposure. The Safflower Oil in Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask also locks in moisture and tones skin for a flawless and radiant complexion.
Ageless Derma added fruit extracts to the Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask for added health and radiance. Pumpkin Fruit Ferment, Pineapple Enzyme, and Papaya Enzyme make this mask luscious and plush. Age-defying antioxidants are also included, with Green Tea Extract and Aloe Leaf Extract added for soothing and fighting free radicals.
The developers at Ageless Derma Skin Care know they are making something extraordinary happen. Their line of physician-grade skin care items incorporates an important philosophy: promoting overall skin health by delivering the most cutting-edge biotechnology and pure, natural ingredients to all of the skin's layers. This attitude continues to resonate to this day with the companys founder, Dr. Farid Mostamand, who nearly a decade ago began his journey to deliver the best skin care alternatives for people who want to have healthy and beautiful looking skin at any age. About this latest Ageless Derma product, Dr. Mostamand says, This natural enzymatic Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask gently exfoliates dead skin cells that are blocking new cell turnover for a renewed and radiant complexion. This is accomplished without the use of unnatural chemicals that can harm your skins delicate balance.
Ageless Derma products are formulated in FDA-approved Labs. All ingredients are inspired by nature and enhanced by science. Ageless Derma products do not contain parabens or any other harsh additives, and they are never tested on animals. The company has developed five unique lines of products to address any skin type or condition.
Read the original post:
Ageless Derma Introduces Their Latest Innovation: Swiss Apple Stem Cell Mask
Tremendous progress in the development of skin stem cell treatments for butterfly children
By JoanneRUSSELL25
27.11.2014 - (idw) IMBA - Institut fr Molekulare Biotechnologie der sterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften GmbH
Scientists at IMBA Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna have made a major advancement towards a future therapy for butterfly children. A treatment with fibroblasts generated from induced pluripotent stem cells has been highly successful in mice. The next step is to establish this method in humans. Butterfly children suffer from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a debilitating skin disease. It is caused by a genetic defect that leads to a deficiency or complete lack of various structural proteins. In one particularly severe form, the protein collagen 7 is either missing or present only in insufficient amounts. If that bond is missing, the skin forms blisters or tears at the slightest mechanical pressure, leading to wounds and inflammation that require extensive treatment with creams and bandages. Often these constant lesions also lead to aggressive forms of skin cancer.
Presently there is no cure for this disease. But there are promising approaches that could lead to successful treatments in the future. One of them is a method called fibroblast injection. In this procedure, fibroblasts are injected between the layers of the skin, where they can produce the necessary collagen 7.
Researchers at IMBA under the leadership of Arabella Meixner have now been successful in developing this method to treat mice affected by EB. The individual steps of this treatment have been worked out and carefully tested in many years of laboratory work, and the results have now been published in the scientific journal Science Translational Medicine.
First the scientists returned skin cells of the diseased mice to the stem cell stage and then repaired the genetic defect, the root cause of the disease. Then the researchers transformed stem cells back into fibroblasts.
Before the repaired fibroblasts could be reintroduced into the organism, measures to prevent inflammation or rejection were necessary. In this study the researchers conducted a type of toxicity test, and the results were very promising. After several months of observation, no adverse immune reactions occurred, and the risk of skin cancer did not increase. That is an important consideration because butterfly children already have a greatly increased risk of skin cancer.
The next step is to establish this skin stem cell treatment in humans. To achieve that, the IMBA scientists intend to look for partners with clinical experience. For severe forms of Epidermolysis Bullosa, a systemic application needs to be developed to spread the cells throughout the entire body via the bloodstream to reach epithelial tissues that are more difficult to access, for example the mucous membranes in the mouth or bowels. Often in butterfly children with milder forms of the disease, only certain areas of the skin are affected. The skin stem cell therapy with local injections successfully tested on mice could lead to a valuable treatment method in the very near future.
The project conducted by IMBA scientists was initiated by the patient organization DEBRA Austria, and has had the financial support of the association and of other generous supporters since 2009. DEBRA's mission is to ensure that butterfly children receive competent specialized medical care and to promote research into options to relieve and cure EB. Further thanks also go to our funding and cooperation partners sterreichische Lotterien and FK Austria Wien.
Original publication: Wenzel et. al., iPSC-based cell therapy for Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. Science Translational Medicine. 2014.
Scientific Contact: Dr. Arabella Meixner, Research Lead Tel. +43 664 2018084 arabella.meixner@imba.oeaw.ac.at Weitere Informationen:http://www.imba.oeaw.ac.at
Continued here:
Tremendous progress in the development of skin stem cell treatments for butterfly children
Blistering skin disease may be treatable with 'therapeutic reprogramming,' researchers say
By raymumme
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
26-Nov-2014
Contact: Krista Conger kristac@stanford.edu 650-725-5371 Stanford University Medical Center @sumedicine
Induced pluripotent stem cells made from patients with a form of blistering skin disease can be genetically corrected and used to grow back healthy skin cells in laboratory dishes, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found. They've termed the new technique "therapeutic reprogramming."
The skin cells formed normal human skin when grafted onto the backs of laboratory mice, they said.
The findings represent a major advance in the battle against the disease, epidermolysis bullosa, in which the top layer of skin, called the epidermis, sloughs off with the slightest friction, leaving open wounds that are difficult to heal. Severely stricken children who survive into their late teens or early 20s often die from invasive squamous cell carcinoma, a skin cancer that can arise during repeated cycles of skin wounding and healing.
"Epidermolysis bullosa is a truly horrible, debilitating skin disease in which the top layer of skin is not properly anchored to the underlying layers," said Anthony Oro, MD, PhD, professor of dermatology. "When they are born, the trauma of birth rips away their skin, and they continue to suffer severe skin wounds that require constant bandaging and medical attention throughout their lives."
Stanford has one of the largest epidermolysis bullosa clinics in the world, with an extremely active and engaged population of patients and their families eager to help researchers. The Stanford Department of Dermatology has been working to find new treatments for the disease for over 20 years. The latest advance, in which researchers replaced the mutated, disease-causing gene in the donor-made induced pluripotent stem cells with a healthy version, was funded by an $11.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
New avenue of treatment
"This treatment approach represents an entirely new paradigm for this disease," Oro said. "Normally, treatment has been confined to surgical approaches to repair damaged skin, or medical approaches to prevent and repair damage. But by replacing the faulty gene with a correct version in stem cells, and then converting those corrected stem cells to keratinocytes, we have the possibility of achieving a permanent fix -- replacing damaged areas with healthy, perfectly matched skin grafts."
Excerpt from:
Blistering skin disease may be treatable with 'therapeutic reprogramming,' researchers say
Leah Still to undergo stem cell therapy
By raymumme
CINCINNATI -- The daughter of a Cincinnati Bengal who has already been through a lot spent another day in the hospital for treatment Tuesday.
Leah Still -- Devon Stills daughter -- underwent a stem cell transplant procedure at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The stem cell treatment is an effort to regenerate her bone marrow and stem cells.
Stem cells definitely smell like corn...yall wasn't lying
Still flew to Philadelphia Monday to be with Leah. They went shopping at a mall.
The smile you have after shutting down the mall, literally. This girl had security and the... http://t.co/HHWtLhf4pf pic.twitter.com/QFRMJsdlCX
Still tweeted another photo Tuesday while they waited for her treatment to begin.
Selfies in the hospital to pass time by as we wait for the stem cells http://t.co/q6JZOIyi9q pic.twitter.com/ogB0J0Gitg
Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in June. She had surgery to remove a tumor from her abdomen in September, followed by chemotherapy to try to remove the cancer from her bone marrow.
She has already been treated with a round of chemotherapy and radiation.
Still said the family hopes that will be her only round of chemo and radiation but that it depends on how her results come back. He said it will take four to six weeks to determine if more treatments are necessary.
Follow this link:
Leah Still to undergo stem cell therapy