THIS ARTICLE IS GREAT NEWS INDEED. IT SEEMS ADULT STEM CELLS ARE BEING USED NOW TO HELP REPAIR BONES, LIGAMENTS, CARTILAGE, SPINAL CORD AND NERVES. THIS WONDERFUL STORY GIVES HOPE TO PATIENTS WHO MAY NEED A HIP REPLACEMENT OR KNEE REPLACEMENT. PERHAPS OUR CANADIAN READERS (due to their healthcare system) WON'T HAVE TO WAIT 2 YEARS FOR A HIP REPLACEMENT ANYMORE AND WILL BE ABLE TO SIMPLY USE THEIR OWN STEM CELLS TO HELP THEM :).

By Debra Sherman

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The orthopedics industry is using more biology and less metal to repair injured and diseased joints.

Researchers attending the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Francisco this week said they are slowly unlocking the doors to regenerative medicine using stem cells, gene therapy and tissue engineering.

"It's the future of our specialty," said Dr. Thomas Einhorn, chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and professor of orthopedic surgery, biochemistry and biomedical engineering at Boston University.

Historically, the orthopedist's arsenal looked much like a carpenter's. It was dominated by heavy metal -- cages, screws, saws, drills and metal implants for joints such as hips and knees.

Stem cell therapy could eventually eliminate the need for joint replacement, said Einhorn, who last year performed his first hip replacement surgery using the patient's own stem cells.

The undifferentiated, unspecialized stem cells can morph into specialized cells with specific functions in the body. Adult stem cells are available from a number of sources, including bone marrow and fat.

Stem cells from a patient's own body are being used to repair bones, ligaments, cartilage, muscle, spinal cord and nerves.

In the hip replacement surgery, Einhorn extracted bone marrow from a middle-aged male patient, sent it to a lab that removed everything but the stem cells, then put the cells in a spray gun and coated the hip implant to induce rapid bone growth over the implant.

"I don't know if I'll see it in my career, but we're certainly moving that way. It might take 20 years before we can totally regenerate a joint that way," Einhorn said.

Dr. Scott Rodeo, co-chief of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and an associate team physician for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, said animal studies suggest that stem cells and bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) can be used to repair rotator cuff tears in the shoulder, a common sports injury that often requires surgery.

BMPs are a group of growth factors and cytokines known for their ability to induce the formation of bone and cartilage. They are sold by Medtronic Inc and Stryker Corp.

Stem cell therapy may also have applications in spine fusion, said Dr. Scott Boden of Emory Spine Center.

"We have a tougher time in the spine," he said, adding that it may just require more cells to form bone there.

Implanting BMPs may "attract other stem cells to the site and tell them to become bone cells," he said.

IN A STEM CELL THERAPY STORY THAT IS MEANINGFUL TO APPROXIMATELY 10 PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, WE HAVE A STEM CELL COMPANY THAT NOBODY HAS HEARD OF, ANNOUNCING THEY ARE TERMINATING DISCUSSIONS WITH ANOTHER STEM CELL COMPANY THAT NOBODY KNOWS. PLEASE WAKE ME UP WHEN YOU HAVE SOME REAL NEWS- DM

StemCells, Inc. Terminates Its Discussions to Acquire Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC

 

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ:STEM) today announced it is no longer pursuing a possible acquisition of Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC (“PCT), a leading provider of cGMP-quality cell processing services headquartered in Hackensack, NJ. The Company had announced on December 3, 2007 that it was exploring such an acquisition and that PCT had agreed to a period of exclusivity to allow for due diligence and negotiations. However, the parties were unable to reach agreement on mutually acceptable terms and conditions, and have terminated discussions.

In consideration of the exclusivity period, StemCells agreed to make a secured loan of up to $3.8 million to PCT, of which $1.0 million was lent. This loan will be repaid and retired on its terms.

PCT will continue to provide various cell processing services to StemCells under an existing contract.

I WASN'T AWARE OF WHAT EPIDERMOLYSIS BULLOSA WAS UNTIL I GOOGLED IT AFTER READING YET ANOTHER ARTICLE SHOWING ADULT STEM CELLS ARE HELPING PEOPLE AND GIVING PEOPLE HOPE RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW.

Nate Liao, almost 2, and his brother, Jake, 5, live with constant, painful blistering skin. They have the worst form of a genetic skin disease called epidermolysis bullosa (EB).

Until now, there hasn't been a treatment for the New Jersey boys, according to ABC News. Theresa Liao can only bandage her sons from head to toe.

Doctors at the University of Minnesota have infused healthy stem cells by way of bone-marrow transplants into mice with EB. And the blisters disappeared. Now, Nate has become the first human to receive a bone-marrow transplant to treat EB. His healthy 3-year-old brother, Jullian, was the donor.

It will be several weeks before doctors know if the stem-cell treatment worked. Doctors believe people with a variety of skin diseases could benefit.

"Thanks to an adult stem-cell treatment, this family struggling with this horrible disease now has hope for their sons," said Dawn Vargo, associate bioethics analyst for Focus on the Family Action. "These adult stem cells may help save their lives without using life-destroying, embryonic stem-cell research."

STEM CELL THERAPY USING ADULT STEM CELLS MAY HELP SAVE THESE KIDS LIVES NOW. THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT WAITING FOR SOME POTENTIAL CURE IN THE FUTURE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT COME. I HOPE THEIR STEM CELL TREATMENT WORKS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT FOR THEM.

Study Suggests Benefits for Patients With Autoimmune Diseases and Heart Disease

Link- http://www.webmd.com/news/20080226/adult-stem-cell-therapy-shows-promise

I ALREADY TOUCHED ON THE REVIEW OF MULTIPLE ADULT STEM CELL STUDIES BY DR. RICHARD BURT AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AND PUBLISHED BY JAMA- JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. THAT IS THE BIG STEM CELL NEWS THIS WEEK. IN THIS ARTICLE, DR. BURT TELLS HOW ADULT STEM CELL THERAPY IS GIVING DOCTORS A

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME "DON, HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY ADULT STEM CELL COUNT NATURALLY?" THERE ARE CERTAIN PRODUCTS OUT THERE ON THE MARKET THAT YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THAT CLAIM TO "ENHANCE" YOUR ADULT STEM CELLS. THE JURY IS OUT ON WHETHER THIS CERTAIN PRODUCT REALLY WORKS OR IS A SCAM OF GREAT MAGNITUDE THAT COULD POSSIBLY INDUCE LIVER FAILURE.

HOWEVER, HERE IS ONE THING THAT IS PROBABLY NOT CONTROVERSIAL THAT EVERYONE SHOULD PROBABLY DO MORE OF, INCLUDING MYSELF -- EXERCISE.