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At the NZ Stem Cell Clinics, we use your own,
un-manipulated, stem cells.
These are the body's natural "repair kit". These are inherently safe and are not associated with the same safety concerns and controversies that plague the clinical application of other forms of stem cells.
Our Stem Cells
Our Stem Cells
At the NZ Stem Cell Clinics, we use Autologous Adipose Derived Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells (AADAMSC) for a variety of degenerative diseases and medical problems.
Autologous = one's own; Adipose Derived = from fat; Adult = not embryonic; Mesenchymal = cells, that have initially evolved from the mesoderm layer, NOT bloodline cells that some clinics use.
Conditions that may show benefit from AADAMSC include Arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis), knee and joint injuries and skeletal injuries that involve cartilage or tendon damage, inflammatory diseases of the bowel and lungs including Crohn's Disease and Asthma.
Pre-clinical and early clinical phase trials have shown encouraging results for numerous other conditions and with rapidly increasing knowledge about AADAMSC and their actions within the human body, there is indication that the list of diseases that may benefit from AADAMSC therapy could steadily grow. In the future, it is possible that Stem Cells may play a significant and exciting role in "self" (autologous) cellular based treatments in numerous medical conditions.
The NZ Stem Cell Clinics Do Not Use Embryonic Stem Cells
To date, at the New Zealand Stem Cell Clinic, we have treated hundreds of patients and a wide range of ailments, from arthritis and auto-immune disorders, to age related regenerative well being treatments.
What are stem cells
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are unspecialised (undifferentiated) cells that are of the same family type (lineage). They retain an ability to divide throughout life, giving rise to cells that can become highly specialised and take the place of cells that die or are lost. Stem cells contribute to the body's ability to renew and repair its tissues. Unlike mature cells, which are permanently committed to their fate, stem cells can both renew themselves as well as create new cells of whatever tissue they belong to (and other tissues). Stem cells are sometimes also referred to as progenitor cells.
Types of stem cells
There are many types of stem cells, having different names usually attributed to either their tissue of origin or various characteristics they possess. Some of these stem cells occur naturally and some have been manipulated (or induced) in laboratories to possess certain characteristics. They can either be from an animal source (called xenographic; such as pigs, cattle, rodents), or they can be derived from human sources. Allogenic human stem cells are sourced from donor cell lines (other people), while autologous stem cells are those sourced from, and used to treat, the same individual (self). "Stem cells" from plant origin, though gaining a lot of commercial publicity lately, have no credibility or place in human medicine currently.
Listed below are the main groups, with a brief description, of stem cells currently relevant to research and clinical medicine.
1. Embryonic Stem Cells:
Derived from the very early stage of embryo development called the blastocyst; pluripotent cells with unlimited capacity to differentiate along numerous cell lineages to form every type of cell in the human body; allogenic (from a donor); numerous registered commercially available cell cultures allows for a readily available and rapid expansion of cell population number; are the basis of much stem cell research; ethical and transplant rejection issues have prevented human clinical application.
2. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells:
Derived from post-embryonic stage (adult) precursor cells; have undergone laboratory manipulation to induce certain characteristics and pluripotency; allogenic (from a donor); numerous commercially available cell cultures for rapid expansion of cell population; gets around the moral issues involving embryonic cells but does not avoid the transplant rejection potential; used in research; concerns that their manipulation can cause possible genetic mutations and hence possible cancer concerns which has prevented their clinical use in humans to date.
3. Mesenchymal Stem Cells:
Derived from post-embryonic sources (adult and includes cord blood); may be sourced as allogenic (from a donor) or autologous (from one's own or self); may be sourced from a variety of tissues (umbilical cord at birth, bone marrow, adipose (fat) tissue); they are cells that have originally evolved from the embryonic mesoderm layer and are capable of differentiating into several tissue types (multipotent), however research supports increasing potency potential (multipotent => ?pluripotent); may be manipulated or need to be expanded if available numbers are limited (e.g. bone marrow derived); used in research and have been used clinically for several years now on humans.
Why use adult stem cells?
Much of the early stem cell research focused on embryonic or fetus-derived stem cells. It was initially thought that this was the only time that stem cells existed, and that these would all disappear as they progressed and developed down the various pathways to form the necessary new structures and tissues that would be present in a baby.
With such huge developmental changes required, these embryonic stem cells are obviously very potent cells and can go on to develop into all the different cell types. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells (pluri meaning many). However, using and exploiting embryos is obviously morally and ethically wrong, and by the mid-1990s, many countries had adopted legislation banning or heavily restricting the use of embryonic stem cells.
This sent many researchers looking elsewhere for stem cells, and it soon became very apparent that stem cells were, in fact, still present in large numbers even in adults. Of early interest was the bone marrow, which continuously creates new blood cells, and as such was found to have moderate numbers of stem cells (both hematopoietic for blood production and mesenchymal for tissue regeneration).
These were relatively accessible, and thus bone marrow-derived adult stem cells quickly became a main focus of research. However, what also became apparent was that stem cells were not only present in these high turnover areas but also present in many other, more "dormant" tissues and locations. In fact, we now know that stem cells are widely distributed throughout the entire adult body, and it is these cells that are responsible for numerous productive tasks, including the ongoing repair and regeneration of the human body.
The first described stem cell was back in 1961 when researchers discovered an unusual small cell type adjacent to adult muscle fiber cells. They called this cell a "muscle satellite cell" and noted that it had some very interesting growth properties. Adult stem cells were initially thought to be much more specific or predetermined, with less potential to differentiate or potency than the embryonic type.
Adult stem cells have thus been termed multipotent. However, ongoing research continues to indicate that adult stem cells can develop into many more different types of cells than first thought, and as time goes on, we are seeing that these cells are displaying more and more future potential. Recent research into certain types of adult stem cells (adipose-derived mesenchymal included) has shown so much potential for multilineage differentiation that they are now being termed by some researchers and doctors as possibly pluripotent.
Why use Autologous Stem Cells
Why use Autologous (one's own) Stem Cells?
Autologous cells have the huge advantage of not being rejected in the typical "graft versus host" reactions that often occur when foreign or donor cells are transplanted. In the case of transferred stem cells, this means donor cells have a limited timeline and limited capacity to get the healing process underway before they themselves are destroyed by the body's own defence/attack system. Donor cells are thus a bit more akin to a temporary "sticking plaster" type only scenario, whereas autologous (self) stem cells can continue to do their natural repair and regenerative job unhindered, to their full healing potential.
Autologous cell use is inherently far safer. Graft versus host reactions can cause serious health issues and usually immunosuppressive drugs (anti-rejection drugs which can globally dampen down the entire body's defence system) need to be preventatively given. Drug side effects, fevers, kidney, lung and liver damage, and infection susceptibility, are all common problems when donor cells are given. Autologous cells however, have none of these issues.
Autologous cell use does not transfer with it any harmful "hidden baggage". There are two issues to be considered here.
Firstly, infective. Although we can assume that donors have been rigorously screened for systemic and infectious diseases, there can still be some niggling concerns that either something has been overlooked, or some yet unknown virus or sub-viral infective particles have slipped through undetected. Modern medicine examples of this would be the transfer in the 1980's and 90's of the then unknown Hepatitis C and "Mad Cow" disease to recipients of transplants and transfusions.
Secondly, there is another potential time bomb that has been given very little consideration to date. Transferred donor cells take with them all of their donor's genetic DNA. Stem cells infiltrate, integrate with, and even grow into new tissue with renewed function. In the case of donor stem cells, this process may be driven exclusively by the donor genetic coding, not your own.
The future question would then arise: what (or perhaps more precisely "who") is inside you and what do you become?! Autologous stem cells, being part of self and natural to your body, do not have these issues.
Adipose Derived vs Bone Marrow stem cells
Why use Adipose Derived Stem Cells rather than Stem Cells derived from bone marrow?
Research over the last decade has confirmed that mesenchymal stem cells are not only found in the bone marrow but also present in many other sites in the human body, including adipose tissue (fat). These mesenchymal stem cells have demonstrated similar properties and potential, regardless of their source.
Adipose tissue-derived cells are a readily available source of mesenchymal stem cells. They can be obtained in large numbers through a relatively accessible process called superficial lipo-harvesting or "mini liposuction." This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and can yield tens to hundreds of millions of cells. In contrast, harvesting bone marrow-derived stem cells requires a more invasive and painful procedure under general anesthesia, resulting in only small numbers of cells being obtained.
With a significant quantity of adipose-derived cells readily available (often in the order of 10-100 million cells, with the largest harvests reaching over 2.1 billion cells), treatment becomes a simplified process of concentrating and immediately reintroducing the cells. This can be done in-house at the clinic as a comprehensive procedure.
Bone marrow-derived cells however, being low in numbers (typically 10-50 thousand cells harvested), require extensive laboratory expansion to obtain sufficient cell numbers for therapeutic use (typically 1-2 million cells). However, this expansion process raises various potential issues and questions. Concerns may arise regarding the use and effectiveness of expanded cultured cells. Questions may be raised about the potential risks of manipulating or reprogramming cells, such as the development of undesirable outcomes like cancer. Additionally, ensuring the sterility and traceability of bone marrow cells from the patient of origin becomes challenging once these cells have left the clinic, undergone culture in a laboratory for days, and are then sent back for use.
In the case of autologous adipose-derived cells (cells obtained from the same individual), there is an abundance of cells available immediately, eliminating the need for storage or extensive manipulation. Consequently, many of the controversial issues associated with other forms of stem cells are rendered irrelevant.
At the NZ Stem Cell Clinics, we use your own,
un-manipulated, stem cells.
These are the body's natural "repair kit". These are inherently safe and are not associated with the same safety concerns and controversies that plague the clinical application of other forms of stem cells.
Advantages of Adipose Derived stem cells
Other theoretical advantages of Adipose Derived Cells.
The concentrated fraction of cells we obtain from adipose tissue, is not only just stem cells, but actually contains a very interesting mix of other potentially useful regenerative cells. This mix includes, but may not be limited to, mesenchymal stem cells, a variety of pre-stem-like cells and progenitor cells, immune cells and numerous other biologically active hormone and growth factor-secreting cells. This mix is collectively called the Stromal Fraction.
This stromal fraction of multifunctional regenerative cells, could be considered a bit like an organised task force of workers, all at different levels within the organisation, all cooperating and contributing towards the common goal, all with their specific individual tasks and skills and all dependent upon each other in order to achieve those tasks. Such a coordinated task force could achieve incredible results. This would be in contrast to a single type of cell line (such as a manipulated expanded single lineage stem cell), albeit maybe a "CEO" type, but without the rest of the team, may not be able to achieve the desired outcome. This may explain why some studies using only cultured single lineage stem cells have shown disappointing results, while stromal fraction has shown more encouraging results.
The material contained in this website is intended for the education of prospective clients. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, some of which is based on Dr Beulink’s own personal experience and principles in the field of regenerative medicine. Personal comments and opinions are exclusively those of Dr Beulink and may vary from those of other doctors.
Individual results may vary and no guarantees are given or implied. The information provided on this website is not intended to create, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship between you and Dr Beulink, and should not in any way be considered an alternative to a personalised one-on-one consultation and assessment with Dr Beulink or any other doctor competent in the field of regenerative medicine.
All content on this website is copyright protected and remains the property of Dr Robert Beulink. No content may be reproduced in any form without the permission of Dr Robert Beulink.
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