FAQs for Doctors

There are 40,000 nucleated stem cells in 1 cc of bone marrow.

Cell count is directly associated with response in the recipient tissue.

This portal, the Internet and peer-reviewed medical journals are a great source for upcoming meetings related to stem cells and regenerative medicine.

Peer reviewed medical literature contains many articles related to stem cell science and clinical applications. Each year there are a large number of medical meetings related to regenerative medicine and stem cell bioscience. See Publications and Events in the Doctor Section.

In the United States and many places in Europe and Asia, Stem cells that are harvested and then transferred to another area of the patient’s body at the point of care is considered autologous use with minimal manipulation and is permitted under the practice of medicine. Once tissue is manipulated it is considered a bio-drug and requires regulatory approval as a drug.

Stem cells have been used to treat many different diseases. A list of approved stem cell treatments being performed in the United States can be found at www.clinical trials.gov. Many other stem cell treatments are offered outside of the United States, some performed properly with good quality control and others performed under dangerous conditions with the possibility of injury or death of the patient.

Platelet rich plasma, also known as PRP, is a fluid separated from peripheral blood that contains a high number of platelets and growth factors. PRP has very powerful anti-inflammatory properties and has been effective with patients that have failed steroids and other medical anti-inflammatory treatments. PRP is also used in combination with stem cells to optimize patient treatment.

Stem cells do not distinguish the self (donor) from the non-self (recipient). Therefore there is no HLA tissue match is required and there have been no cases of rejection.

Stem cells can be cryopreserved for future use. Fat aspirate can also be cryopreserved and later processed for stem cells.

Isolated stem cells can be grown in the laboratory to increase their number. This technique of increasing the number of stem cells in the lab is defined as culture expansion.

After stem cells are collected they are processed in the laboratory by dissolving the tissue in between the cells so that they are isolated into pure stem cells.