Mesenchymal STEM Cells for other Medical conditions

Boulder Biologics’ stem cell therapy procedures use patients’ own mesenchymal stem cells to support the recovery of pulmonary, cardiac, gastroenterological, and neurological conditions.

Stem cells’ ability to address excessive inflammation and organ tissue damage (including nerves and the brain) may make them valuable in overcoming various conditions. Read on to find out how they do so. 

ABOUT STEM CELLS

Mesenchymal stem cells can:

  • Turn into (differentiate into) other types of cells, including (1):

    • Heart cells (including cardiac myocytes)

    • Endothelial cells of organs

    • Neural cells (including types of brain cells, like astrocytes)

    • Hepatocytes (liver cells)

    • Tendon, cartilage, bone, and muscle cells

    • Hematopoietic-supporting bone marrow cells

  • Regulate the immune system (1)

  • Promote the repair of damaged tissue (1)  

STEM CELLS AND ORGAN DAMAGE

Some pulmonary, cardiac, and neurological conditions feature organ tissue damage. For example, peripheral neuropathy features nerve damage. Mending this damage may help patients manage or overcome their condition.

Healing the tissue requires repairing or replacing damaged cells. Mesenchymal stem cells are valuable to organ injury repair because they are thought to either replace damaged cells or call on the immune system to repair them through paracrine (hormonal) mechanisms (1, 2).

This process may result in improved functionality of damaged organs, thereby alleviating symptoms of the patient’s condition.

STEM CELLS AND immune system regulation

Mesenchymal stem cells are thought to regulate over-activated inflammatory responses (2).

Some studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells can reduce inflammatory cytokine levels, increase anti-inflammatory interleukins such as IL-10, and oust overactive T-cells and NK (natural killer) cells (2). 

This immune system regulation is thought to alleviate neurological and fatigue-related symptoms consistent with various conditions.

WHAT IS AUTOLOGOUS BONE MARROW-DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL (BM-MSC) THERAPY?

BM-MSC therapy supplies the body with a high concentration of mesenchymal stem cells derived from the patient’s own bone marrow. These cells augment damaged tissue’s ability to rebuild and recover and may regulate the immune system.

The procedure first involves aspirating bone marrow from the patient’s PSIS, which is located in the posterior pelvis area. The bone marrow aspirate (BMA) is filtered and can be used en masse or by concentrating the BM-MSCs using density gradient centrifugation.

The cells are typically administered to the patient intravenously (through an IV) and/or intranasally (through the nose). An IV is inserted into the patient’s arm, and cells may be atomized into the patient’s nasal passages. The patient lies on their back, tilted backward, for about an hour until cell delivery is complete.

Intranasal delivery is thought to increase the cells’ access to the brain, which is valuable for treating neurological issues.

We intranasally atomize a solution with the patient’s cells so that the cells can enter the brain to take action.

SAFETY

Stem cells derived from a donor are called allogeneic stem cells. Those from the patient’s own body are called autologous stem cells.

Therapies that use autologous stem cells (the patient’s own cells) are traditionally much safer than those that use cells from donors. The risk of rejection is mitigated using autologous, which may be of concern with allogeneic stem cell therapy. At Boulder Biologics, we use autologous stem cells only.

References

  1. Mesenchymal Stem Cell. Mesenchymal Stem Cell - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/mesenchymal-stem-cell.

  2. Faye H. Chen, Lin Song, Robert L. Mauck, Wan-Ju Li, Rocky S. Tuan. Chapter Fifty-Five - Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Editor(s): Robert Lanza, Robert Langer, Joseph Vacanti, Principles of Tissue Engineering (Third Edition), Academic Press, 2007, Pages 823-843, ISBN 9780123706157, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012370615-7/50059-7 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123706157500597)

  3. Hosseini-Asl SK, Mehrabani D, Karimi-Busheri F. Therapeutic Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Ulcerative Colitis: A Review on Achievements and Challenges. J Clin Med. 2020 Dec 3;9(12):3922. doi: 10.3390/jcm9123922. PMID: 33287220; PMCID: PMC7761671.

  4. Guo, G., Tan, Z., Liu, Y. et al. The Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cell-derived Exosomes in Ulcerative Colitis and Colorectal Cancer. Stem Cell Res Ther 13, 138 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-022-02811-5