Category Archives: Stem Cell Therapy

CHICAGO - Patients with advanced heart disease who received an experimental stem cell therapy showed slightly improved heart function, researchers said at a major U.S. cardiology conference on Saturday.

The clinical trial involved 92 patients, with an average age of 63, who were picked at random to get either a placebo or a series of injections of their own stem cells, taken from their bone marrow, into damaged areas of their hearts.

The patients all had chronic heart disease, along with either heart failure or angina, and their left ventricles were pumping at less than 45 per cent of capacity.

All the participants in the study were ineligible for revascularization surgery, such as coronary bypass to restore blood flow, because their heart disease was so advanced.

Those who received the stem cell therapy saw a small but significant boost in the heart's ability to pump blood, measuring the increase from the heart's main pumping chamber at 2.7 per cent more than placebo patients.

Study authors described the trial as the largest to date to examine stem cell therapy as a route to repairing the heart in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction.

"This is the kind of information we need in order to move forward with the clinical use of stem cell therapy," said lead investigator Emerson Perin, director of clinical research for cardiovascular medicine at the Texas Heart Institute.

Perin's research, which was conducted between 2009 and 2011 across five U.S sites, was presented at the annual American College of Cardiology Conference in Chicago.

The technique involved taking bone marrow samples from the patients and processing the marrow to extract stem cells. Doctors then injected the cells via catheter into the heart's left ventricle.

The injections, comprising some 100 million stem cells in all, were specifically targeted at damaged areas, identified by real-time electromechanical mapping of the heart.

See the article here:
Stem cell treatment could repair heart damage

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2fee68d4/progenitor_and_ste) has announced the addition of Woodhead Publishing Ltd's new book "Progenitor and Stem Cell Technologies and Therapies" to their offering.

Progenitor and stem cells have the ability to renew themselves and change into a variety of specialised types, making them ideal materials for therapy and regenerative medicine. "Progenitor and stem cell technologies and therapies" reviews the range of progenitor and stem cells available and their therapeutic application.

Part one reviews basic principles for the culture of stem cells before discussing technologies for particular cell types. These include human embryonic, induced pluripotent, amniotic and placental, cord and multipotent stem cells. Part two discusses wider issues such as intellectual property, regulation and commercialisation of stem cell technologies and therapies. The final part of the book considers the therapeutic use of stem and progenitor cells. Chapters review the use of adipose tissue-derived stem cells, umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells, bone marrow, auditory and oral cavity stem cells. Other chapters cover the use of stem cells in therapies in various clinical areas, including lung, cartilage, urologic, nerve and cardiac repair.

With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, "Progenitor and stem cell technologies and therapies" is a standard reference for both those researching in cell and tissue biology and engineering as well as medical practitioners investigating the therapeutic use of this important technology.

Key Features:

- Reviews the range of progenitor and stem cells available and outlines their therapeutic application

- Examines the basic principles for the culture of stem cells before discussing technologies for particular cell types, including human embryonic, induced pluripotent, amniotic and placental, cord and multipotent stem cells

- Includes a discussion of wider issues such as intellectual property, regulation and commercialisation of stem cell technologies and therapies

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2fee68d4/progenitor_and_ste

See original here:
Research and Markets: Progenitor and Stem Cell Technologies and Therapies Reviews the Range Of Progenitor and Stem ...

A nodal public stem-cell bank in India is the need of the hour if blood cancer and thalassaemia patients are to benefit from stem-cell therapy, according to an expert.

We need an indigenous inventory of 30,000 units of umbilical cord-blood stem-cells, which would enable seven out of 10 patients seeking stem-cell transplant to find a ready match off the shelves, said P. Srinivasan, a pioneer in public cord-blood banking in the country, addressing members of the Ladies Study Group of the Indian Chamber of Commerce on Friday.

Cord blood, also called placental blood, is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta following childbirth after the cord is cut, and is routinely discarded with the placenta and umbilical cord as biological waste.

A rich source of stem cells, cord blood can be used to treat over 80 diseases, including certain cancers like leukaemia, breast cancer, blood disorders like thalassaemia major and autoimmune disorders like lupus, multiple sclerosis, Crohns Disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Early clinical studies suggest these can even help avert corneal degeneration and restore vision in cases of blindness, help restore proper cardiac function to heart attack sufferers and improve movement in patients with spinal cord injury.

Since stem-cell matching is highly ethnicity dependent, the chances of an Indian finding a perfect match in a foreign country is a lot less compared to a resource pool of locally-donated units, the former resource person for WHO, now the chairman and managing trustee of Jeevan Blood Bank and Research Centre in Chennai, added.

Even if someone finds a match abroad, the cost of shipping the bag of matching cord blood could be as high as $40,000, as against the Rs 30,000 required for processing and storing one unit indigenously.

Srinivasan felt reaching the critical mass of 30,000 cord-blood units wasnt a big deal, given the fact that 20 million babies are born in India every year.

Purnima Dutta, the president of Ladies Study Group, agreed that raising awareness on the need to donate umbilical cord blood was the key.

As women and responsible citizens, the onus is on us to spread the word and encourage young couples to come forward and donate cord blood to ensure we can achieve this desired public-bank inventory which can save valuable lives, she said.

Continue reading here:
Expert wants central bank for cord blood

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)One of the last search and rescue dogs from 9/11 lives here in Maryland. She was suffering from a painful condition until her owner took action with breakthrough technology.

Mary Bubala has the story.

Red is a search and rescue dog from Annapolis, but has traveled across the country. Her missions include Hurricane Katrina, the La Plata tornadoes and the Pentagon after 9/11.

They credit them with finding 70 percent of the human remains so that helped a whole lot of those families actually get closure, said Heather Roche, Reds owner.

Sept. 11 was Reds first search. Today shes one of the last 9/11 search and rescue dogs still alive.

She retired last summer due to severe arthritis.

It would be nice if her arthritis, if she felt better, that she could do those kinds of things that she misses, Reds owner said while fighting back tears. Alright I am going to cry.

Roche did some research and found an animal hospital in northern Virginia that uses breakthrough stem cell therapy to treat arthritis in dogs.

The Burke Animal Clinic is one of just a few across the country that use stem cell therapy.

The vet harvests 1 to 2 ounces of the dogs fatty tissue, activates the stem cells and then injects them back into the troubled areas.

Read more from the original source:
Stem Cell Therapy Used To Treat 9/11 Search And Rescue Dog

POWAY, CA--(Marketwire -03/22/12)- Vet-Stem announced today the introduction of StemInsure. The StemInsure service provides banked stem cells that can be grown to supply a lifetime of stem cell therapy for dogs. One fat collection, in conjunction with another anesthetized procedure, gives access to a lifetime of stem cells.

Vet-Stem has trained over 3,500 veterinarians, provided stem cells for over 8,000 animals in the US and Canada and currently banks more than 25,000 doses for future therapeutic use. Many veterinarians and their clients have requested a method to collect and store stem cells when a dog is young, before it needs the regenerative cells for therapy. StemInsure was designed to meet this need.

A Vet-Stem credentialed veterinarian can collect as little as 5 grams of fat (about the size of a grape) from a dog or puppy during an anesthetized procedure. Many veterinarians and owners are electing to do this fat collection in conjunction with a spay or neuter. This small amount of fat is processed and stem cells are cryopreserved in Vet-Stem's state-of-the-art facility. The cells can be cultured in the future to provide enough stem cells to last for the lifetime of the dog. More information can be found at http://www.vet-stem.com/steminsure.php.

"Vet-Stem is pleased to provide StemInsure as a solution to the thousands of veterinarians and dog owners who recognize the value of Vet-Stem cell therapy. The ability to store the cells in conjunction with another procedure is a great way to ensure that the dog will have access to a lifetime of cell therapy while reducing the number of anesthetic events," said Dr. Bob Harman, DVM, MPVM, and CEO of Vet-Stem. Dr. Harman continued, "Currently, Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell Therapy is widely used to treat osteoarthritis, and tendon/ligament injuries. It is our expectation that the therapeutic use of adipose derived stem cells will continue to expand and add to the value of a lifetime supply of stem cells for dogs."

About Vet-Stem:In January of 2004, Vet-Stem introduced the first veterinary stem cell service in the United States. Since that time there has been rapid adoption of this technology for treatment of tendon, ligament, and joint injuries by the veterinary community. Studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells can dramatically improve the healing of injuries and diseases that have had very few treatment options in the past.

Read more:
Vet-Stem Announces StemInsure(R): A Small Fat Sample Now, a Lifetime of Stem Cells Later

Public release date: 21-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Ingrid L. Thomas ithomas@aadronline.org 703-299-8084 International & American Associations for Dental Research

Tampa, Fla., USA On March 23, during the 41st Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR), held in conjunction with the 36th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, a symposium titled "TMJ: Stem Cell Biology and Engineering toward Clinical Translation" will provide a rare forum for multidisciplinary discussion of the biology, engineering and clinical translation of fundamental discoveries towards novel clinical therapy. The symposium is co-sponsored by the Craniofacial Biology, Mineralized Tissue and Neuroscience Scientific Research Groups of the International Association for Dental Research. The presentations in this multidisciplinary symposium will represent broad and yet comprehensive approaches toward the understanding of the origin, homeostasis, differentiation, hormonal regulation and bioengineering of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) tissues.

TMJ disorders are a poorly understood cluster of diseases, ranging from neuromuscular pain to severe forms of arthritis. Recently, stem/progenitor cells have been identified in TMJ disc and condyle, with potential origin from neural crest cells in development. Putative TMJ stem/progenitor cells are subjected to local, hormonal and other systemic factors in homeostasis in multiple processes that warrant better elucidation. In parallel, there is an acute demand in the clinical community for the regeneration of various TMJ components, including the disc, condyle, synovium and the mandible.

This symposium will not only provide new aspects of a timely and under-studied subject of TMJ biology and therapeutics, but also use TMJ as a model for the study of other dental and craniofacial structures and diseases.

###

This is a summary of sequence #87 titled "TMJ: Stem Cell Biology and Engineering toward Clinical Translation" which will feature abstracts to be presented by M. Embree, M. Detamore, A. Le and S. Kapila at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research. This symposium will take place at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 23, 2012, in room 10 of the Tampa Convention Center.

About the American Association for Dental Research

The American Association for Dental Research (AADR), headquartered in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit organization with nearly 4,000 members in the United States. Its mission is: (1) to advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health; (2) to support and represent the oral health research community; and (3) to facilitate the communication and application of research findings. AADR is the largest Division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).

To learn more about the AADR, visit http://www.aadronline.org.

Link:
TMJ: Stem cell biology and engineering toward clinical translation