Using adipose derived stem cells in treatments for arthritis, muscle and tendon tears.

11 Feb Using adipose derived stem cells in treatments for arthritis, muscle and tendon tears.

The above picture is a study done in Oct. 2012 showing the difference in doing nothing , PRP , ADSC (fat), and BMSC (bone marrow) on cartilage damage. They looked at 6 & 12 wk’s. This evidence supports the use of BMA and ADSC in moderate to severe arthritis for the regeneration of cartilage.

At Gecko Joint and Spine we use autologous adipose derived stem cells in our treatments. Adult Stem Cells (ASCs), by definition, are unspecialized or undifferentiated cells that not only retain their ability to divide mitotically while still maintaining their undifferentiated state but also, given the right conditions, have the ability to differentiate into different types of cells including cells of different germ-origin – an ability referred to as transdifferentiation or plasticity.^1,2 In vitro, the conditions under which transdifferentiation occurs can be brought about by modifying the culture medium in which the cells are cultured. In vivo, the same changes are seen when the ASCs are transplanted into a tissue environment different to their own tissue-of origin. Though the exact mechanism of this transdifferentiation of ASCs is still under debate, this ability of ASCs along with their ability to self-renew is of great interest in the field of Regenerative Medicine as a therapeutic tool in being able to regenerate and replace dying, damaged or diseased tissue.

Clinically, however, there are a few criteria that ASCs need to fulfill before they can be viewed as a viable option in Regenerative Medicine. These are as follows:³