Stem cells, their properties and possibilities of practical application. human stem cells

Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences E. LOZOVSKAYA.

The blood left inside the umbilical cord contains the most valuable stem cells that can be used to treat many diseases.

Before storage, blood is freed from ballast fractions - erythrocytes and mature leukocytes, in order to obtain the most enriched stem cell concentrate.

Test tubes with prepared cord blood samples are immersed in liquid nitrogen.

With stem cells - the ancestor of all cells of the body - many of the hopes of medicine are connected. These cells, which do not have a pronounced specialization, are able to repeatedly divide and mature, turning into blood components and cellular elements of a wide variety of tissues - from muscle and cartilage to fat and neuronal.

There are few stem cells in the adult human body and even fewer with age. Most of them are in the bone marrow, and it is with bone marrow transplantation that the history of successful use of stem cells in medicine begins.

The first bone marrow transplant to a patient with leukemia was performed by the American doctor Don Thomas in 1969, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1990. In fact, during this procedure, all elements of the hematopoietic system are replaced: the patient's own hematopoietic cells are destroyed by chemical or radiation means, and the hematopoietic (hematopoietic) stem cells contained in the transplanted bone marrow give rise to new healthy blood elements. Since then, this method of treating leukemia has become widespread.

The technology of transplantation is well developed. Today the main task is to find a donor whose cells will be compatible with the patient's body. In the US and other developed countries, there is a whole army of donors - 6-7 million healthy people who have undergone a special examination and agreed, if necessary, to donate part of their bone marrow to someone who will need it. But even with such a huge number of potential donors, it is not easy to find a compatible bone marrow, and a significant proportion of leukemia patients die without waiting for transplantation.

Quite a legitimate question: is there an alternative to bone marrow transplantation? Stem cells suitable for clinical use can be obtained, for example, from fat removed during liposuction, or from the patient's blood, as well as from blood remaining after childbirth inside the umbilical cord and placenta. It is umbilical cord blood that experts consider the most convenient, safe, one might even say, universal source of stem cells.

Cord blood cells have been studied at the Institute of Experimental Cardiology of the Russian Cardiology Research and Production Complex for several years now. Director of the Institute, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Nikolaevich Smirnov is convinced that cord blood is a unique and very promising material for cell therapy.

The concentration of stem cells in umbilical cord blood is somewhat lower than in the bone marrow, but these are newborn cells - young, not exhausted their potential. That is why they take root faster, more actively begin to restore the hematopoietic system. They have a very high ability to reproduce and differentiate (transformation into cells of other species), and in different directions. Among cord blood stem cells, there are many so-called naive T-lymphocytes, that is, "untrained", in other words, who do not yet know what to fight against. Such cells, when introduced into the body, should not cause rejection. Therefore, cord blood transplantation can be performed even with partial tissue incompatibility.

There are no ethical objections to the use of cord blood stem cells, but this is not their only advantage over embryonic cells. The fact is that umbilical cord cells are by no means "babies". “Embryonic and adult cells differ in the set of receptors on the outer membrane, that is, they “speak” different languages,” explains V.N. Smirnov. They are different: adult cells ensure the functioning of the system, and embryonic cells create this system. We can make the following comparison: embryonic cells - those who build the house, adults - those who exploit it. " The inability of embryonic cells to understand the signals of the adult environment can lead to their development going down the wrong path and tumor formation. With cord blood cells, this risk is much less.

Stem cells are conditionally divided into hematopoietic and mesenchymal - those that give rise to connective tissue, blood vessels, smooth muscles. The bulk of cord blood stem cells are hematopoietic cells. But there are also cells - precursors of the endothelium, capable of forming the walls of blood vessels and capillaries.

Recently, in studies conducted by Doctor of Biological Sciences Yuri Askoldovich Romanov, it was found that there are also stem cells in the wall of the umbilical cord, in the so-called Wharton's gel. And what is especially interesting is that these cells have the spontaneous ability to turn into neurons. A certain number of cells with a neuronal orientation are also found in the umbilical cord blood itself.

“Let's dream a little,” suggests V. N. Smirnov. “If you mix the precursor cells of blood vessels and cells that are almost ready to become neurons, you get a very suitable mixture for the treatment of strokes. After all, with strokes, firstly, you need to restore blood flow around the site of damage - hematomas, and secondly, to recreate neurons to maintain brain function. In model experiments on animals, it has been shown that the recovery process goes on, even if just cord blood is injected, and not a mixture of stem cells. "

The ability of cord blood stem cells to turn into neurons is confirmed by a successful clinical experiment by South Korean scientists, which was reported at the end of November 2004. A 37-year-old woman who had been confined to a wheelchair for 19 years due to a spinal injury has regained the ability to walk. It was possible to restore the damaged area of the patient's spinal cord thanks to the transplantation of stem cells isolated from umbilical cord blood.

Mesenchymal cells have an extremely important property - they suppress the reaction of the immune system to their presence. If mesenchymal cells and T-lymphocytes are mixed in a culture, then the latter will lose some of the receptors of the immune system and stop responding to the presence of a "stranger". Therefore, there is a chance to use for treatment not only one's own stem cells, but also someone else's (allogeneic), without achieving full compatibility. “This approach is most promising for the treatment of organs that are separated from the body by an internal barrier,” says Vladimir Nikolayevich Smirnov. “This is, first of all, the brain protected by the blood-brain barrier, as well as articular cartilage. , the immune system is not omnipotent there. And this allows us to hope that foreign mesenchymal stem cells may be suitable for cartilage restoration. It is possible that this can be done quite simply - by injection into the joint capsule. And if it is possible to establish a technology for growing such cells in culture ", then from a sample taken from one donor, it will be possible to produce material for the treatment of dozens of patients. As soon as it becomes possible to introduce foreign cells that do not require special selection, a drug is obtained - like a medicine in a pharmacy."

Now cord blood stem cells are used to treat more than forty diseases. These are not only leukemias, but also some metabolic diseases, including those that are considered incompatible with life and lead to the death of a child at an early age.

The procedure for obtaining cord blood stem cells is quite simple and safe for mother and child. During childbirth, the umbilical cord is clamped with special clamps, and the blood remaining inside (its volume is approximately 60-80 ml) flows into the syringe. This blood is transported in sterile containers to a specialized laboratory where the sample is prepared for freezing. In the process of preparation, ballast elements are removed from the blood - erythrocytes, mature leukocytes, excess plasma. At the same time, biochemical studies are carried out, the characteristics that determine the compatibility of cells during transplantation are determined. In addition, check whether the blood is infected with bacteria or viruses. Until the end of such an examination, frozen samples are kept in "quarantine", separately from the rest. Modern cryogenic technologies make it possible to store cells at a low temperature for an almost unlimited time. It has already been proven that more than 95% of cells remain viable after 15 years of storage in liquid nitrogen at -196°C.

The first cord blood bank was set up in New York a little over ten years ago. Now there are about a hundred banks in the world (there are more than 30 in the USA alone), which store more than 400,000 samples. A significant part of these banks are registered, accepting for storage the umbilical cord blood of a particular child. Such a "bank deposit" can be considered personal biological insurance in case the child himself or his closest relatives: brother, sister, parents - need stem cells for transplantation. This service is paid, and the nominal sample of umbilical cord blood is the property of the baby's parents.

In addition to nominal banks in the United States and other countries, banks-registries of umbilical cord blood cells are organized, which are replenished by gratuitous donation. National banks-registries are needed, first of all, in order to find a replacement for bone marrow donors. With about half a million unnamed samples, fully examined, tested, typed, it will be possible to help almost any patient, no longer taking bone marrow from donors, but extracting the appropriate sample from storage, which is immeasurably easier. Approximately 4 million births occur annually in the United States, which makes it possible to collect half a million samples in the foreseeable future. For these purposes, $ 1,000 is allocated from the American budget for each sample. And now the task of American doctors is to convince parents who do not want to donate a nominal sample for their child to allow cord blood to be used anonymously so that it can help someone else.

In Russia, the first bank that accepts registered cord blood samples for storage appeared in 2002 on the basis of the Scientific Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Now several more such banks are organized.

“Our country needs a state program to create a national stem cell registry, similar to the one being carried out in the United States,” Vladimir Nikolayevich Smirnov believes. "Then the probability of finding stem cells suitable in all respects will be high enough to really help a significant number of patients. Considering that only in Moscow there are from 80 to 110 thousand births per year, it is quite possible to collect the required number of cord blood samples in a few years. If we won't do that, we'll have to buy that kind of blood abroad and pay $20,000-25,000 per serving, almost the same as for bone marrow taken from a donor. The average Russian citizen can't afford that."

To date, in world clinical practice, there are already more than three thousand cases of transplantation of umbilical cord stem cells instead of bone marrow cells. Until recently, cord blood was used mainly for the treatment of children. For a transplant to an adult, such an amount of stem cells, which is contained in a portion of blood extracted from one umbilical cord, is not always enough. But it turned out that if you pick up two or even three similar samples, they can be mixed and injected into an adult. This immediately expands the field of application of cord blood stem cells.

One of the inspirers and ardent supporters of the idea of creating cord blood banks in Russia is Valery G. Savchenko, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. At the Hematological Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, where he heads the department of bone marrow transplantation, stem cell transplantation has been performed for more than 20 years.

“In Russia, there are practically no bone marrow donors,” he says. “Therefore, now that it is technologically possible to use cord blood cells to treat not only children, but also adults, this must be done. Patients with leukemia are hostages of biology; part of the population is inevitably susceptible to such diseases, and any of us can be in the place of these people.Modern medicine gives patients a chance to survive, and we cannot deprive them of this chance.Cord blood is a real alternative to bone marrow, so you need to create and support banks in every possible way to store it.As soon as it is accumulated a large number of samples, there will be a qualitative leap."

The likelihood that the frozen cells will be needed by the very child from whose umbilical cord they are obtained is quite low. But for unnamed samples, it is, on the contrary, high, especially if we take into account not only leukemia, which is treated with stem cells now, but also add the possibility of potential applications - in cardiology and oncology. So far, the accumulated statistics on stem cell banks show that, on average, every thousandth sample is in demand.

The use of stem cells is possible only on the basis of well-established technologies, the effectiveness of which has been proven and confirmed by a license. “Treatment with stem cells is not such a simple matter as it seems,” explains Valery Grigoryevich Savchenko. “For example, in the treatment of leukemia, before introducing donor stem cells, you need to make room for them, that is, destroy the previous cell population - both diseased cells and "healthy. And only then, in "empty apartments" can new "law-abiding" tenants be settled. In addition, the transplanted cells must be created suitable conditions for growth, close to natural. Otherwise, either a rejection reaction will begin, or the cells will multiply uncontrollably, forming a tumor. Stem cells should be treated as a tool with which you can create "biological crutches" and thereby extend the life of the patient. For example, a very promising method of treating strokes using cord blood, which has so far been tested only on rats, is is also nothing more than an attempt to create a temporary biological prosthesis, something like a wire "bug" that replaces burnt plugs. Neurons formed from donor stem cells will not make a person smarter, but they will perform their electrical function. And this will allow the patient to start moving, to avoid loss of muscle mass and bedsores. After all, with a stroke, a significant part of patients die precisely from the consequences of hypodynamia.

“The widely advertised methods of rejuvenation with the help of stem cells have nothing to do with medicine,” emphasizes Valery Grigorievich. “This is a myth based on ignorance. "There are real technologies (and cord blood transplantation is one of them) that need to be developed and replicated in the regions. Moreover, technologies for the treatment of serious diseases, such as cancer, should be considered as a national treasure. Investing money in medicine gives great benefits, but not in the moment, but in the long term."

Olga Lukinskaya

We hear about stem cells in recent years in a very different context: they are offered to be used in cosmetic procedures and even added to creams, they learn to extract from milk teeth and the umbilical cord, they are used in the treatment of a variety of diseases. Often in the news they report new possibilities for their use, which still have to be studied in the laboratory for a long time; as a result, stem cells seem to some to be something from the future, while others think that they have already become commonplace and are used in any beauty salon. We understand what stem cells are in general, what they are often used for now, and what benefits are possible so far only in theory.

Where is it mined from
stem cells

Stem cells are so-called undifferentiated cells that can turn into different cells of the body - and in humans there are more than two hundred of them - with various functions inherent to them. For example, nerve cells or blood cells have narrow, specific tasks - and they spend all their energy on performing these tasks, without wasting it on reproduction. And new red blood cells or neurons arise from stem cells that every person has at any age. They come in different types: some are able to differentiate into only one type of cell, others into several; embryonic stem cells in early pregnancy can transform into any cell type in the body.

There are terminological disputes among scientists about whether all these cells can be called stem cells and whether the terms “stem cell” and “progenitor cell” are synonymous, but in general both terms can be used equally. We are talking about basic cells that can turn into any others - which means that if you learn how to handle them correctly, they can potentially allow you to grow new skin at the site of a burn or replace liver tissue affected by hepatitis. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to use stem cells for such purposes - but still there are a number of serious problems that they help to solve. Stem cells can be obtained from embryos (for example, abortive materials can be used for research purposes), and in adults, their main source is the bone marrow. Stem cells are also actively isolated from the dental pulp and from the umbilical cord of newborns.

What are they used for

Stem cells have been used for several decades in the treatment of severe diseases of the blood and bone marrow, such as leukemia. The bone marrow is a hematopoietic organ; in fact, it is made up of stem cells. When it does not function or produces "defective" blood cells, one treatment option is transplantation, that is, the "replacement" of bone marrow stem cells with healthy ones. For this, both donor cells and their own can be used, if they have undergone a certain processing.

Scientists around the world call the 21st century the century of biomedicine. And this is understandable, because this area of medicine is developing at an incredible speed. Not without reason, in recent years, scientists have received 7 Nobel Prizes for discoveries in the field of cellular technologies! And this is far from the limit, because the prospects for stem cell treatment today look absolutely limitless! But first things first.

History reference

Stem cells were discovered by Russian scientist Alexander Maksimov back in 1909. It was he who became the founder of regenerative medicine. However, the first transplantation of such cells was carried out much later, in the 70s of the last century. And although scientists are still arguing about the safety of using stem cells, by the beginning of the 21st century, 1,200 operations were performed in the world to transplant stem cells taken from the umbilical cord. In Russia, such methods of treatment were treated with caution for a long time, and therefore the first permitted operation was carried out only in 2010. Today in our country there are several clinics offering this method for the treatment of various diseases.

What are stem cells and why are they needed?

Stem cells are immature (undifferentiated) cells found in all multicellular organisms. A feature of such cells is their unique ability to divide, forming new stem cells, as well as to differentiate, that is, to turn into cells of certain organs and tissues. In fact, stem cells are a kind of reserve stock of our body, thanks to which the process of cell renewal is carried out.

The use of stem cells in the treatment of diseases is a real breakthrough in modern medicine. Today, there is reliable evidence that thanks to stem cells, cancer, atherosclerosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, autoimmune and allergic diseases, diabetes and endocrine disorders, spinal and brain injuries can be treated. Stem cells improve the condition of the skin, bones and cartilage, strengthen the immune system and increase potency. Moreover, today there is a positive practice of treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases with the help of these biological substances!

Moreover, stem cells allow you to get rid of a serious illness once and for all, which is much cheaper than trying to treat the disease with medicines year after year. And this fact has long been confirmed by patients who, using this method, got rid of rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma.

Moreover, with the help of these biological substances, infertility can now be successfully treated. Specialists create cells that temporarily suppress a woman's immune function, as a result of which the body does not reject the fetus. According to statistics, every second woman who decided on this method of dealing with infertility became pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful baby. As you can see, the scope of these amazing cells seems to be simply limitless!

The essence of the treatment

Of course, cell therapy is not a panacea for all ailments. Treatment with such cells has a number of contraindications and cannot be used without a balanced approach.

What is the essence of this method? It turns out that miracle cells have two important functions - they divide themselves and activate the reproduction of other cells in the body. The meaning of the treatment is that when they enter the diseased organ, the cells start the immune system and release bioactive substances that activate the affected organ's own stem cells to renew. As a result of the replacement of old cells with new ones, the process of regeneration takes place, due to which the organ is gradually restored.

Varieties of stem cells

Medicine knows several types of miracle cells. These are fetal, embryonic, postnatal and many other immature cells. The most commonly used for treatment are hematopoietic (HSC) and mesenchymal cells (MSCs), which are obtained from the bone marrow, including the pelvic bones, ribs, as well as adipose tissue and some other tissues that have a good blood supply. The choice in favor of these cells was made for a reason. According to scientists, treatment with hematopoietic and mesenchymal cells is highly effective and safe, which means that there is no possibility that they mutate and provoke tumor development, which is quite possible with the introduction of fetal or embryonic cells.

But it's no secret that with age, the number of stem cells in the human body becomes less and less. For example, if an embryo has one cell per 10 thousand ordinary cells, then a 70-year-old person has one cell per 7-8 million. Thus, only 30 thousand mesenchymal cells are secreted into the blood of an adult every day. This is enough only to eliminate minor violations, but not enough to protect against serious illnesses or slow down the aging process.

However, stem cell therapy makes it possible to achieve the impossible. According to modern scientists, when stem cells are introduced into the body, the necessary “regenerative fund” is created, thanks to which a person recovers and gets rid of diseases. This use of stem cells by medical professionals is very similar to refueling a car. Doctors simply inject stem cells into a vein as if they “refuel” the body with high-quality fuel, thanks to which a person gets rid of diseases and lives longer!

On average, the treatment of diseases involves the introduction into the blood of about 1 million cells per 1 kg of weight. To fight severe pathologies, the patient should be injected with 2-3 million stem cells for every 1 kg of weight. According to doctors, this is a natural mechanism for the treatment of diseases, which will become the main method of therapy for almost all pathologies in the very near future.

Myths and reality

Despite the advances that biomedical specialists have made to date, distrust in this method of treating diseases is still high. Perhaps the reason for this is information periodically appearing in the media about famous personalities whose attempts to treat or rejuvenate the body ended sadly. Doctors in private clinics licensed to treat with such cells refer to these informational stuffing as “hypothetical sensations”, reasonably noting that the reports do not contain information about the method of treatment and the type of cells used. Experts from scientific state institutions resolutely refuse to comment on such rumors. Perhaps it is precisely because of the lack of complete information that society is torn by doubts about the safety of such treatment.

Nevertheless, people who agree to stem cell therapy are still called “guinea pigs” today. According to the head physician of one of the clinics providing such treatment, Yuri Kheifets: “It is simply incorrect to talk about our patients as guinea pigs. I am aware of the cases of allergy to this material, but it was not the cells that caused the allergy, but the nutrient medium that got into the cell culture. But I have not heard of a single case of death after the introduction of such cells!

Supported by a specialist and doctor of medical sciences, Professor Alexander Teplyashin. According to the scientist: “In Europe and the United States, they have already begun to realize all the benefits and effectiveness that stem cells carry. That is why our specialists, who have been involved in stem cell treatment for a long time, are extremely in demand in these countries. We still have a lack of confidence in this method of treatment, and this is very upsetting.”

Scientists draw attention to the fact that disputes regarding the benefits and harms of antibiotics have not yet subsided, but it is known what a catastrophe humanity would face if it were not for these medicines. The same thing happens with stem cells. However, experts note that not all stem cells are suitable for therapy.

Issue price

Another question haunts the townsfolk. It seems that cell therapy has been going on for a long time, the technology has been thoroughly studied, like mushrooms, new clinics that conduct stem cell treatment are growing. Why is therapy so expensive?

Experts answer that growing stem cells is a long-term and rather costly process. In addition, the state does not finance such projects, which is why they develop much more slowly.

It is true that progress is observed in this process. Today, in Russia, there are cell preparations, the cost of which is equal to the cost of traditional treatment. For example, an agent for combating arthrosis costs no more than a gel intended for injection into a diseased joint. In this case, the drug allows you to treat the joint, while the gel fights only with pain. However, all components for growing stem cells in our country are currently purchased in the United States.

If we talk about the cost of treatment in detail, then the data of various sources differ in many respects. For example, according to Moskovsky Komsomolets, stem cell therapy in Russia today fluctuates between $10,000–$12,000.

At the same time, the website of the Moscow clinic "Newest Medicine" states that the full cost of cell therapy or a course of revitalization will cost $30,000-32,000.

At the same time, a number of companies involved in organizing stem cell treatment in Germany cite data according to which a full course of treatment will cost the patient $9,000–15,000.

Undifferentiated stem cells, which are actively used in medicine, are the basis for the development of brain, blood or any other organ cells. In modern pharmacology and cosmetology, this biological material is a valuable medicine. Specialists have learned how to grow it on their own for various needs: for example, to take cord blood material, which is widely used to restore and strengthen the immune system.

What are stem cells

In plain language, STs (undifferentiated stem cells) are the "progenitors" of ordinary cells, of which there are hundreds of thousands of species. Ordinary cells are responsible for our health, ensure the proper functioning of vital systems, make our heart beat and brain work, they are responsible for digestion, the beauty of skin and hair.

Where are stem cells located

Despite the impressive figure of 50 billion pieces, an adult has such valuable material in very small quantities. The bulk of the cells are found in the bone marrow (mesenchymal cells and stromal cells) and subcutaneous fat, the rest are evenly distributed throughout the body.

The embryo is formed differently. Billions of stem cells are formed after the division of the zygote, which is the result of the fusion of male and female gametes. The zygote contains not only genetic information, but also a plan for consistent development. However, during embryogenesis, its only function is division. There are no other tasks besides the transfer of genetic memory to the next generation. The cells of the division of the zygote are stem cells, more precisely, embryonic.

Properties

Adult cells are at rest until any of the regulatory systems give a signal of danger. STs are activated and reach the affected area through the bloodstream, where, reading information from the "neighbors", they turn into bone, liver, muscle, nerve and other components, stimulating the body's internal reserves to restore tissues.

The amount of miracle material decreases with age, and the reduction begins at a very young age - 20 years. By the age of 70, there are very few cells left; this meager remnant supports the functioning of the body's life support systems. In addition, the "aged" STs partially lose their versatility, they can no longer transform into any type of tissue. For example, the possibility of transformation into nerve and blood components disappears.

Due to the lack of hematopoietic components responsible for blood formation, a person in old age becomes covered with wrinkles and dries out due to the fact that the skin no longer receives sufficient nutrition. Embryonic material is the most capable of reincarnation, and therefore the most valuable. Such STs can be reborn into any type of tissue in the body, quickly restore immunity, and stimulate the organ to regenerate.

Varieties

It may seem that there are only two types of stem cells: embryonic and cells that are in the body of a born person. But it's not. They are classified according to pluripotency (the ability to transform into other types of tissues):

totipotent cells;
pluripotent;
multipotent.

Thanks to the latter type, as the name implies, you can get any tissue in the human body. This is not the only classification. The next difference will be in the method of obtaining:

embryonic;
fetal;
postnatal.

Embryonic CTs are taken from embryos that are a few days old. Fetal cells are biological material collected from the tissues of embryos after abortion. Their potency is somewhat lower compared to three-day embryos. The postnatal view is the biomaterial of a born person, obtained, for example, from umbilical cord blood.

Growing stem cells

Studying the properties of embryonic stem cells, scientists came to the conclusion that this material is ideal for transplantation, since it can replace any tissue in the human body. Embryonic components are obtained from the unused tissue of embryos, which are initially grown for artificial insemination. However, the use of embryos raises ethical objections, as a result, scientists have discovered a new type of stem cells - induced pluripotent.

Induced pluripotent cells (iPS) removed ethical concerns without losing the unique properties that embryonic cells have. The material for their cultivation is not embryos, but mature differentiated cells of the patient, which are removed from the body, and after work in a special nutrient medium, they are returned back, but with updated qualities.

Application

The use of ST is very wide. It is difficult to determine the areas where they are used. Most scientists say that the future lies in the treatment of donor biomaterial, but additional research should continue. At the moment, such works are mostly successful, they have a positive impact on the treatment of many diseases. Take, for example, assistance in the treatment of cancer, the first stages of which have already given hope for recovery to many patients.

In medicine

It is no coincidence that medicine places great hopes on microtechnologies. For 20 years, doctors from all over the world have been using bone marrow mesenchymal cells to treat serious diseases, including malignant tumors. The donor of such material with a set of antigens can be a close relative of the patient who has a suitable blood group. Scientists are also conducting other research in the field of treatment of diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, kidney pathology, diabetes, myocardial infarction, arthrosis of the joints, autoimmune diseases.

Stem cell therapy for various diseases

The range of use in treatment is amazing. Many medicines are made from STs, but transplants have a particular advantage. Not all transplants end well due to individual rejection of the material, but the treatment is successful in most cases. It is used against such ailments:

acute leukemia (acute lymphoblastic, acute myeloid, acute undifferentiated and other types of acute leukemia);
chronic leukemia (chronic myeloid, chronic lymphocytic and other types of chronic leukemia);
pathologies of myeloid germ proliferation (acute myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, idiopathic myelofibrosis and others);
phagocytic dysfunctions;
hereditary metabolic disorders (Harler's disease, Krabe's disease, metachromic leukodystrophy, and others);
hereditary disorders of the immune system (deficiency of adhesion of lymphocytes, Kostmann's disease and others);
lymphoproliferative disorders (lymphogranulomatosis, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma);
other hereditary disorders.

In cosmetology

Stem cell methods have found their way into the beauty industry. Cosmetic companies are increasingly releasing products with such a biological component, which can be both animal and human. As part of cosmetics, it is labeled as Stem Cells. She is credited with miraculous properties: rejuvenation, whitening, regeneration, restoration of firmness and elasticity. Some salons even offer stem cell injections, but injecting the drug under the skin will be expensive.

When choosing this or that remedy, do not be fooled by the “bait” of beautiful statements. This biomaterial has nothing to do with antioxidants, and rejuvenation for ten years in one week will not work. Please note that such creams and serums will not cost a penny, because obtaining stem cells is a difficult and time-consuming process. For example, Japanese scientists are trying to get snails to secrete more mucus containing the treasured material in laboratories. Soon this mucus will become the basis of new cosmetics.