Adipose Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell types. Commonly, stem cells come from two main sources: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Stem cells so far have been used to mend tissues ranging from damaged hearts to collapsed tracheas. Now the multifaceted cells have proved successful at re-growing bone in humans. An adipose stem cell is an example of an adult stem cell. It is sometimes called a repair cell and it is present in our blood, dental pulp, bone marrow, placenta, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord.

About Adipose Stem Cell Therapy

It has been found out that adipose stem cell therapy can be used to repair or regenerate new blood vessels, cardiac muscle, nerves, bones and other tissue, potentially helping heart attack victims, patients with brain and spinal cord injuries and people with osteoporosis. The work to be presented reflects a growing number of researchers who believe that adipose tissue (fat) will be a practical and appealing source of stem cells for regenerative therapies of the future. Fat, or adipose tissue, contains an abundant number of adult stem cells, over 10 times more than in bone marrow. These cells not only regenerate adipose tissue, but they can reconstruct a variety of injuries and defects by being coaxed to develop into nerves, bone, or cartilage. Using the procedure in cancer patients may prove to be the most difficult due to intensive scarring and the fact that the growth protein, BMP-2, is not approved for use in people with cancer. Traumatic injuries will likely be the easiest to fix, provided the patient can wait six months to a year for scars to heal. The new technique may have applications across the board, but it may not be as successful or as simple in every case.