Potency: Stem Cell Growth

Potency refers to the inherent capacity for growth and development.

Stem cells have potency.  Like anything that has  growth potential there are various outcomes.

Multipotent stem cells have the potential to give rise to multiple cells within a specific family.  For example,  blood stem cells can develop into white blood cells, red blood cells and other type of blood cells but it cannot develop into liver  or heart cells.

Pluripotent stem cells have more opportunities.  They can more develop into multiple cells within different families.  Pluripotent stem cells can create all cell types except egg and sperm.

Mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent.  They can develop into cartilage, bone and ligament.  Mesenchymal stem cells, utilizing the Regenexx procedure, offer an non-surgical option for the treatment of various orthopedic disorders which include loss of cartilage in the knee and hip, non-healing fractures and repair of lumbar disc protrusions.

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Age Management Medicine Enters Stem Cell Therapy Discussion

The adult stem cell debate about the FDA trying to classify the patient’s stem cells as drugs is heating up.  Interesting article this morning from a physician proferssional organization on Regenexx, the FDA, and Adult Stem Cell Clinical and Lab Guidelines.  I think the article says it all.

Age management is a new field that many doctors have embraced.  This AMMG professional group recognizes that physicians should work directly with patients on using their own stem cells as therapies and should produce professional guidelines to allow the safe use of these therapies.

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Your Own Tissue is Not Yours: It is a Drug

Regenexx utilizes a patients’ own stem cells to repair damaged ligaments, tendons, cartilage and bone.  Regenexx exclusively uses autologous adult mesenchymal  stem cells which are derived from the bone marrow of the patient being treated.  The clinical successes utilizing adult autologous stem cells have been published in peer reviewed journals.  Additional studies have been submitted and accepted and are awaiting publication.  Comprehensive outcome studies have been completed without any evidence of tumor growth.  There have been no complications.  Sounds to good to be true?

Adult Stem Cells

What are adult stem cells? They are cells within our body that can renew themselves and turn into other cells (differentiate).   Conceptually they can be thought of as the repairmen of the body. They live inside us in various tissues, poised to leap into action to repair damage as it occurs.  The problem is that as we age or get larger injuries,  our bodies are unable to recruit sufficient number of stem cells to fully  repair the area of damage.

There are many different types of adult stem cells but the most common are called hematopoetic stem cells.  What does this mean.  These are adult stem cells that will change (differentiate) into blood (hematopoetic)  products such as red blood cells or platelet.  Hematopoetic stem cells are easy to obtain from a peripheral blood or from bone marrow.  They are very plentiful in both blood and bone marrow. Unfortunately many ” stem cell therapies” are employing these hematopoetic stem cells due to the abundance and ease to access.  Such is the case with bone marrow aspirate concentrates which are bedside units that concentrate cells obtained from one’s bone marrow. 

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate Unit

 Unfortunately for patients, despite the advertised claims, these cells can only differentiate into blood products.

Stem cells associated with regeneration of damaged tendon, ligament, bone or disc are termed mesenchymal stem cell (MSC). 

Mesenchymal Stem Cell

 MSC’s can not be harvested from blood nor can they be obtained in clinically significant numbers from bedside bone marrow aspirate concentrates.  Herein lies the critical difference between current therapy and Regenexx.  Regenexx isolates MSC’s and then expands them so that you as a patient have the critical number of MSC’s to repair damaged tissue.  Regnexx uses your own stem cells and expands them for a variety of orthopedic aplications.