StemCell Therapy

Highlights

Mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) signaling increases longevity in the nematode C.elegans

mtROS act through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway

mtROS signaling requires the alternative BH3-only protein CED-13

mtROS signaling induces a unique pattern of gene expression

The increased longevity of the C.elegans electron transport chain mutants isp-1 and nuo-6 is mediated by mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) signaling. Here weshow that the mtROS signal is relayed by theconserved, mitochondria-associated, intrinsic apoptosis signaling pathway (CED-9/Bcl2, CED-4/Apaf1, and CED-3/Casp9) triggered by CED-13, an alternative BH3-only protein. Activation of the pathway by an elevation of mtROS does not affect apoptosis but protects from the consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction by triggering a unique pattern of gene expression that modulates stress sensitivity and promotes survival. In vertebrates, mtROS induce apoptosis through the intrinsic pathway to protect from severely damaged cells. Our observations in nematodes demonstrate that sensing of mtROS by the apoptotic pathway can, independently of apoptosis, elicit protective mechanisms that keep the organism alive under stressful conditions. This results in extended longevity when mtROS generation is inappropriately elevated. These findings clarify the relationships between mitochondria, ROS, apoptosis, and aging.

The observed association of the aging process with the biology of reactive oxygen species (ROS), in particular ROS originatingfrom mitochondria (mtROS), has led to the formulation of the oxidative stress theory of aging. Recently, however, more nuanced interpretations have been proposed to explain the basic observations that led to the formulation of the theory (Lapointe and Hekimi, 2010andSena and Chandel, 2012). One possibility is that ROS damage is not causally involved in the aging process but that ROS levels are correlated with the aged phenotype because they modulate signal transduction pathways that respond to cellular stresses brought about by aging (Hekimi etal., 2011). In other words, ROS generation may be enhanced by the aging process because, in their role as signaling molecules, ROS help to alleviate the cellular stresses caused by aging. This hypothesis is supported by findings in a variety of organisms, in particular in C.elegans where changes in ROS generation or detoxification can be uncoupled from any effect on lifespan ( Doonan etal., 2008, Van Raamsdonk and Hekimi, 2009, Van Raamsdonk and Hekimi, 2010andYang etal., 2007). Most strikingly, moderate mitochondrial dysfunction ( Felkai etal., 1999, Feng etal., 2001andYang and Hekimi, 2010b), severe loss of mtROS detoxification ( Van Raamsdonk and Hekimi, 2009), and elevated mtROS generation ( Yang and Hekimi, 2010a), as well as treatments with pro-oxidants ( Heidler etal., 2010, Lee etal., 2010, Van Raamsdonk and Hekimi, 2012andYang and Hekimi, 2010a), can all lengthen rather than shorten lifespan. In addition, the pro-longevity effects of both dietary restriction ( Schulz etal., 2007), and reduced insulin signaling in C.elegans ( Zarse etal., 2012), appear to involve an increase in ROS levels. Such observations are not limited to C.elegans. For example, mtROS signaling can act to extend chronological lifespan of the yeast S.cerevisiae ( Pan etal., 2011).

The longevity phenotype of isp-1(qm150) ( Feng etal., 2001) and nuo-6(qm200) ( Yang and Hekimi, 2010b) mutants is most unequivocally connected to mtROS generation ( Yang and Hekimi, 2010a). isp-1 encodes the Rieske iron sulfur protein, one of the major catalytic subunits of mitochondrial complex III, and nuo-6 encodes the mitochondrial complex I subunit NDUFB4. The qm150 and qm200 mutations are missense mutations that do not lead to a full loss of protein function. Mitochondria isolated from both mutants show elevated superoxide generation, as measured by fluorescence sorting of purified mitochondria incubated with the dye MitoSox ( Yang and Hekimi, 2010a). This is a very specific phenotype that is not accompanied by an increase in overall mitochondrial oxidative stress, nor by a measurable increase in overall oxidative damage. The long-lived phenotype can also be phenocopied by treatment of the wild-type with a very low level (0.1mM) of the superoxide generator paraquat (PQ). In contrast, treatment of the mitochondrial mutants with PQ has no effect, suggesting that treatment with PQ extends lifespan by the same mechanisms as the mitochondrial mutations ( Yang and Hekimi, 2010a).

Increased longevity can also result from induction of the mitochondrial unfolded protein stress response (mtUPR), which can be triggered by RNA interference knockdown of mitochondrial components (Dillin etal., 2002, Durieux etal., 2011andLee etal., 2003). This response is however distinct from the response to elevated mtROS as the lifespan increases produced by the elevated mtROS in the mutants and by the activated mtUPR are fully additive (Yang and Hekimi, 2010b).

How might elevated mtROS promote longevity? ROS are well known to act as modulators in signal transduction pathways, andit is as such that they might be enhancing longevity. One candidate signaling pathway that could include potential mtROS sensors as well as a mechanism of downstream signaling is the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Apoptosis is a highly controlled process that in mammals is sensitive to mitochondrial function, including mtROS, via the intrinsic apoptosis signaling pathway (Wang and Youle, 2009). In C.elegans the intrinsic apoptotic machinery consists of the BH3-only protein EGL-1, CED-9 (Bcl2-like), CED-4 (Apaf1-like), and CED-3 (Casp9-like). CED-9 is tethered to the outer mitochondrial membrane and binds CED-4. However, in contrast to vertebrates, there is no evidence for any role for mtROS in regulating apoptosis in C.elegans.

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The Intrinsic Apoptosis Pathway Mediates the Pro-Longevity ...

Longevity claims are unsubstantiated cases of asserted human longevity. Those asserting lifespans of 110 years or more are referred to as supercentenarians. Many have either no official verification or are backed only by partial evidence. Cases where longevity has been fully verified, according to modern standards of longevity research, are reflected in an established list of supercentenarians based on the work of such international institutions as the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) and/or the Guinness World Records. This article lists claims of 115 years or more.

Prior to the nineteenth century, there was insufficient evidence either to demonstrate or to refute centenarian longevity.[1] Even today, no fixed theoretical limit to human longevity is apparent.[2] Studies[1] in the biodemography of human longevity indicate a late-life mortality deceleration law: that death rates level off at advanced ages to a late-life mortality plateau. That is, there is no fixed upper limit to human longevity, or fixed maximum human lifespan.[3] This law was first quantified in 1939, when researchers found that the one-year probability of death at advanced age asymptotically approaches a limit of 44% for women and 54% for men.[4] Researchers in Denmark have found a way to determine when a person was born based on radio-carbon dating done on the lens of the eye.[5]

In 1955, Guinness World Records began maintaining a list of the verified oldest people.[6] It developed into a list of all supercentenarians whose lifespan had been verified by at least three documents, in a standardized process, according the norms of modern longevity research. Many unverified cases ("claims" or "traditions") have been controverted by reliable sources. Taking reliable demographic data into account, these unverified cases vary widely in their plausibility.

Despite demographic evidence of the known extremes of modern longevity, stories in otherwise reliable sources still surface regularly, stating that these extremes have been exceeded. Responsible, modern, scientific validation of human longevity requires investigation of records following an individual from birth to the present (or to death); purported longevity far outside the demonstrated records regularly fail such scrutiny.

Actuary Walter G. Bowerman stated that ill-founded longevity assertions originate mainly in remote, underdeveloped regions, among illiterate peoples, evidenced by nothing more than family testimony.[8]

In the transitional period of record-keeping, records tend to exist for the wealthy and upper-middle classes, but are often spotty and nonexistent for the poor. In the United States, birth registration did not begin in Mississippi until 1912 and was not universal until 1933. Hence, in many longevity cases, no actual birth record exists. This type of case is classified by gerontologists as "partially validated".[citation needed]

Since some cases were recorded in a census or in other reliable sources, obtainable evidence may complete full verification.

In another type of case, the only records that exist are late-life documents. Because age inflation often occurs in adulthood (to avoid military service or to apply for a pension early), or because the government may have begun record-keeping during an individual's lifetime, cases unverified by proximate records exist. These unverified cases are less likely to be true (because the records are written later), but are still possible. Longevity narratives were not subjected to rigorous scrutiny until the work of William Thoms in 1873. Thoms proposed the 100th-birthday test: is there evidence to support an individual's claimed age at what would be their centenary birthday?[10][11] This test does not prove a person's age, but does winnow out typical pension-claim longevity exaggerations and spontaneous claims that a certain relative is over 150.

These are standardized lists of people whose lifespans remain unverified by proximate records, including both modern (Guinness-era) and historical cases. Claims missing either (or both) a date of birth/date of death are listed separately. All cases in which an individual's supercentenarian lifespan is not (yet) backed by records sufficient to the standards of modern longevity research are listed as unverified. They may be factually true, even though records do not exist (or have not yet been found,) so such lists include these grey-area cases.

These notable living supercentenarian cases, in descending order of claimed age, with full birth and review dates, have been updated within the past two years, but have no publicly available early-life records to support them. The names and cases of people whose lifespan is documented by at least one publicly available, standardized early-life record are recorded by the Gerontology Research Group in a list of pending partially verified claims. The minimum claimed age for this list is 115 years, claims between 110 and 113, reported to be alive within the last year, may be found in the living supercentenarians article. There are included 36 cases of such people, of whom 24 are female and 12 are male.

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Longevity claims - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What can Natural Fat Transfer do for you? The signs of aging can effect every area of our face and body. Now through new cosmetic surgery techniques involving fat transfer you can smooth out lines and wrinkles, even enhance your breasts and buttocks, with Natural Fat Transfer. If youre considering a cosmetic surgery procedure to enhance your breast or buttocks, plump the skin around your lips or smooth out lines on your face, Serro Rejuvenation Center has the expertise to provide your Natural Fat Transfer.

Natural Fat Transfer is a safe, natural procedure that can be used to contour the face and hands by plumping up the skin. Breast and buttocks can be enhanced to give you that fuller and more shapely body. The overall appearance of the face and body is more youthful as a result. Scars and other deformities can also be treated with Natural Fat Transfer. This safe, cost-effective procedure can give you the "Natural Look of Subtle Perfection!"

How is Natural Fat Transfer Different from Dermal Fillers? The most popular cosmetic surgery technique for reversing the signs of aging is injection of dermal fillers.Less invasive than a full face lift, an injectable dermal filler can restore a youthful appearance by adding volume beneath the skin. There are a variety of dermal fillers such as, Restylane and Juvederm (hyaluronic acid), Radiesse (calcium hydroxylate),and Sculptra Aesthetic (poly-L-lactic acid),made for this purpose. Over time the body slowly absorbs these dermal fillers and the treatment must be repeated. On average, dermal filler treatments last six months to a year with Sculpta lasting two years or more.

Natural Fat Transfer, also known as micro-lipoinjection, uses a patients own fat as a dermal filler. Unwanted fat is removed from the body throughBody Jet and then injected into the face, hands, breast or buttocks. Some of this fat survives the transfer and becomes living tissue in the new area, so a fat transfer treatment lasts longer than a typical dermal filler treatment. Fat transfer is already being used for natural breast augmentationand natural buttocks augmentationprocedures with excellent results, and now it is gaining in popularity as a dermal filler for the delicate skin on the face and hands.

How is Natural Fat Transfer Performed? The fat transfer procedure is non-invasive and requires very little down-time for recovery. The procedure involves two separate steps. First, Dr. Serro will use liposuction to remove fat from the thighs, abdomen, waist, or hips of the patient. The fat is then prepared and injected into the areas that have been targeted for treatment. A topical anesthetic may be used to numb the injection area. Fat transfer injections are over in a manner of minutes and patients can return to their normal activities almost immediately.

Facial volumizers, such as Sculptra Aesthetic, are usually administered in two or three sessions every four to six weeks to get the maximum benefit of the product. This is also true of fat transfer. Once a series of treatments have been completed, the fat transfer results will last from one year to five years. For many patients, the benefits of fat transfer face and hand treatments are longer-lasting than for other types of dermal fillers.

Is this procedure approved or is it controversial? Many cosmetic surgeons remember the poor results that used to occur in the past when fat transfer was used. We now have improved techniques and technologies that help maintain the survival of the fat. Thus, better survival of the fat results in longer results. One such technology is the BodyJet LipoSculpture technique that harvests the fat in a more gentle fashion. Recent clinical studies have shown up to a 90% fat cell survival rate from natural fat harvesting with BodyJet Water-Liposuction technique.

Stem Cells and Fat Transfer FAQ's

Why are stem cells important? Some of the most exciting scientific research in recent years has been focused on stem cells because of their unique regenerative abilities and potential to generate, restore and maintain healthy tissue. The discovery of a rich, natural supply of stem cells within adult body fat has unlocked new potential for stem cell harvesting. In fact, harvesting stem cells from fat is vastly more effective than harvesting stem cells from other areas, such as bone marrow. Recent advances in water jet assisted liposuction (Body Jet) help to protect and sustain these beneficial stem cells during the fat harvesting process, creating a new era in natural, stem cell enriched fat transfer.

How do stem cells help improve the results of natural fat transfer? The idea for removing fat from one area of the body and using it to naturally augment volume in another area is not new. But, older methods of extracting and transferring fat often produced unsatisfactory results because up to 50% of the transferred fat would not survive. The Natural Fat Transfer Stem Cell Harvestingprocess helps ensure the survival of natural, healthy fat. Because the process for removing fat is so gentle, fat and stem cells washed from the body are kept intact and viable for transfer. The stem cells within the fat will encourage the growth of new blood vessels to nourish the transplanted fat and may also stimulate the production of new fat cells.

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Stem Cells and Fat Transfer| Dr. Serrao, Orlando Florida

Diabetes is a common group of chronic metabolic diseases that cause high blood sugar (glucose) levels in the body due to defects in insulin production and/or function. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas when we eat food. Insulin allows sugar to go from the blood into the cells. If the cells of the body are not using insulin well, or if the body is unable to make any or enough insulin, sugar builds up in the blood.

Symptoms include excessive thirst, hunger, and urination; fatigue; slow-healing sores or cuts; and blurry vision.

If diabetes develops quickly, as happens with type 1 diabetes, people may also experience quick weight loss. If diabetes develops slowly, as in type 2 diabetes, people may not be diagnosed until symptoms of longer-term problems appear, such as a heart attack or pain, numbness, and tingling in the feet.

Long-term complications of diabetes can include kidney failure, nerve damage, and blindness.

Diabetes is categorized into categories:

This type of diabetes is categorized as an autoimmune disease and occurs when the bodys misdirected immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Although genetic or environmental triggers are suspected, the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not completely understood. Type 1 accounts for only five to 10 percent of diabetes cases in the United States, and while it can occur at any age, most patients are diagnosed as children or young adults. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to manage their condition.

This type of diabetes most often develops gradually with age and is characterized by insulin resistance in the body. For reasons not yet totally understood, the cells of the body stop being able to use insulin effectively. Because of this resistance, the bodys fat, liver, and muscle cells are unable to take in and store glucose, which is used for energy. The glucose remains in the blood. The abnormal buildup of glucose (blood sugar), called hyperglycemia, impairs body functions. Type 2 diabetes occurs most often in people who are overweight and sedentary, two things thought to lead to insulin resistance. Family history and genetics play a major role in type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is defined as blood-sugar elevation during pregnancy; it is known to affect about three to eight percent of women. Left undiagnosed or untreated, it can lead to problems such as high birth weight and breathing problems for the baby. All pregnant women are tested for gestational diabetes at between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, as this is when this problem usually develops. Gestational diabetes usually resolves in the mother after the baby is born, but statistics show that women who have gestational diabetes have a much greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes within five to 10 years.

Although prediabetes is not technically diabetes, some experts now consider it to be the first step to type 2 diabetes. This condition is marked by blood sugar levels that are too high to be considered normal but are not yet high enough to be in the range of a typical diabetes diagnosis. Prediabetes increases not only your risk of developing diabetes but also your risk of heart disease and stroke.

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Diabetes - Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, Gestational ...

Abstract

Stem cells are primitive cells that can differentiate and regenerate organs in different parts of the body such as heart, bones, muscles and nervous system. This has been a field of great clinical interest with immense possibilities of using the stem cells in regeneration of human organ those are damaged due to disease, developmental defects and accident. The knowledge of stem cell technology is increasing quickly in all medical specialties and in dental field too. Stem cells of dental origin appears to hold the key to various cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine, but most avenues are in experimental stages and many procedures are undergoing standardization and validation. Long-term preservation of SHED cells or DPSC is becoming a popular consideration, similar to the banking of umbilical cord blood. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are the adult multipotent cells that reside in the cell rich zone of the dental pulp. The multipotent nature of these DPSCs may be utilized in both dental and medical applications. A systematic review of the literature was performed using various internet based search engines (PubMed, Medline Plus, Cochrane, Medknow, Ebsco, Science Direct, Hinari, WebMD, IndMed, Embase) using keywords like dental pulp stem cells, regeneration, medical applications, tissue engineering. DPSCs appears to be a promising innovation for the re-growth of tissues however, long term clinical studies need to be carried out that could establish some authentic guidelines in this perspective.

KEYWORDS: Dental pulp stem cells, myocardial infarction, regenerative therapy, tissue engineering

The term stem cell was proposed for scientific use by Russian histologist Alexander Maksimov in 1909. He was the first to suggest the existence of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) with the morphological appearance of a lymphocyte, capable of migrating throughout the blood to micro ecological niches that would allow them to proliferate and differentiate.[1] Tissue engineering as a scientific discipline has shown promising results in the field of dentistry also. Tissue engineering approaches can aid in either the replacement of damaged tooth structures and/or in the repair/regeneration of pulp-dentin complex (regenerative endodontics).

The science of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has seen tremendous development, especially in the field of stem cell research. Tissue engineering approach requires the three main key elements (triad): Stem cells, scaffold (or matrix) and growth factors (morphogens).[2] These key elements can be used in three principal therapeutic strategies to obtain the desired result. Today stem cell biology is one of the most fascinating areas of science which brings in the hope for improved outcomes by replacing damaged or absent tissues with healthy regenerated tissue.[3] Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can be found within the cell rich zone of dental pulp. Their embryonic origin, from neural crests, explains their multipotency.[4] The term stem cell was projected by Alexander Maksimov a Russian histologist, during 1908 in congress of hematologic society at Berlin.[5] Stem cells have the potential to renew themselves for long periods through cell division and under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become cells with special functions.[6] Several studies have been carried out to verify whether stem cells could become a source of stable differentiated cells. These studies have confirmed their capacity to induce tissue formation during the embryonic development and proliferation along with differentiation to generate all other tissues.[7,8,9,10]

By definition the pluripotency of biological compounds describes the ability of certain substances to produce several distinct biological responses whereas multipotency means the ability to differentiate to a limited number of cell fates or into closely related family of cells. Recent advances in the tissue engineering have drawn scientists to test the possibility of tooth engineering and regeneration. However, these biotechnologies are in its initial phase, it is expected to be used to restore missing teeth and replace artificial dental implants.

Researchers have observed that these stem cells act differently than other adult stem cells. These dentally-derived mesenchymal stem cells are capable of extensive proliferation and differentiation, which makes them an important resource of stem cells for regeneration and repair of a multitude of diseased and injured organs and tissues.[10,11] Because of their ability to produce and secrete neurotrophic factors, these stem cells may also be beneficial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the repair of motoneurons following the injury. Research works on dental mesenchymal stem cells is expanding at an unprecedented rate. More than 1,000 research studies from institutions around the world have been published since the year 2000 that make reference to the dental stem cells. In the year 2007 alone, over 1,000 research articles were published on Dental Stem Cells.[12] Additionally, over 60 clinical investigations with animals and human volunteers have been published seeking to identify the potential new medical treatments from adult stem cells.[10] Stem cell-based therapies are being investigated for the treatment of many conditions including: Neurodegenerative conditions, liver disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and for nerve regeneration following the brain or spinal cord injury.

Riccardo and co workers postulated two school of thoughts; one argues that these cells produce a dentin-like tissue,[7] whereas the other research group[11] has demonstrated that these cells are capable of producing bone, both in vitro and in vivo. Beyond natural capacity of response to the injury, dental pulp stem cells are attractive for their potential to differentiate, in vitro, into several cell types including odontoblasts, neural progenitors, chondrocytes, endotheliocytes, adipocytes, smooth muscle cells and osteoblasts.[12,13] The potential application of dental pulp stem cells and tissue engineering in medicine and dentistry in particularly are discussed in the present review.

At present, the mesenchymal stem cell populations having the high proliferative capacity and multi-lineage differentiation have been isolated from the dental tissues.[14,15] These are dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs), periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), dental follicle progenitor stem cells (DFPCs), and stem cells from apical papilla (SCAPs). DPSCs and SHEDs originate from the cranial neural crest and express early markers for both mesenchymal and neuroectodermal stem cells.[16,17,18] This explains their multipotency and pluripotency. Sharpe and Young were pioneered the use of stem cells in the dental tissue engineering.[19,20] Various studies have shown that these cells have unique features of stem/progenitor cells having the capacity to differentiate into dentin forming odontoblasts.[21,22] The roots of the third molar are often incomplete at the age of eighteen, therefore these teeth contains a conspicuous pool of undifferentiated cells, resident within the cell rich zone of the dental germ pulp.[23,24] In an in vitro model, Hwang et al. derived DPSCs from supernumerary mesiodens, and it has been seen that DPSCs derived at the stage of crown development are more proliferative than at later stages.[25] Apart from these, the cells obtained from loosely attached tissue at the root apex (SCAP) and periodontal ligament (PDLSC) have been used for bio-root engineering.[26,27,28] More recently, stem cells obtained from the dental tissues have been shown to develop into fat, bone cartilage and neural cells.[29,30]

In addition to their therapeutic use in dentin regeneration, regeneration of periodontal tissues and skeletal articular tissues of craniofacial region, DPSCs were also reported to be used in the treatment of neurotrauma, autoimmune diseases, myocardial infarction, muscular dystrophy and connective tissue damages.[31] This review article is an attempt to highlight main strategies as related to the use of dental pulp stem cells, their characterization, storage, tissue engineering strategies and useful clinical applications in the field of modern dentistry.

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Imperative Role of Dental Pulp Stem Cells in Regenerative ...

Agricultural Biotechnology, Poverty Reduction, and Food Security

A Working Paper May 2001

Asian Development Bank 2001 All rights reserved

FOREWORD

Recent breakthroughs in biotechnology have led to rapid progress in understanding the genetic basis of living organisms, and the ability to develop products and processes useful to human and animal health, food and agriculture, and industry. In agriculture, there is increasing use of biotechnology for genetic mapping and marker-assisted selection to aid more precise and rapid development of new strains of improved crops and livestock. Other biotechnology applications such as tissue culture and micropropagation are being used for the rapid multiplication of disease-free planting materials. New diagnostics and vaccines are being widely adopted for the diagnosis, prevention, and control of animal and fish diseases. Many of these developments have taken place mainly in the United States and other developed countries. But in recent years several developing countries in Asia including Peoples Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Viet Nam have begun to invest heavily in biotechnology.

Biotechnology has given us a new tool to improve food security and reduce poverty. This development is encouraging since the Green Revolution technologies, which have doubled food production and reduced poverty during the past three decades, have already run their course in much of Asia. Conventional breeding, widely used during the Green Revolution era, no longer provides needed breakthroughs in yield potentials, nor the solution to the complex problems of pests, diseases, and drought stress. That is particularly true in the rainfed areas where the poor are concentrated. The challenge is how to use new developments in biotechnology together with information technology and new ways of managing knowledge to make the complex agricultural systems of Asia more productive and sustainable.

The development of agricultural biotechnology is perceived by some as posing considerable risks to human health and the environment. Most of the debate on biotechnology has been focused on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The public debate surrounding GMOs has heightened concerns that genetic engineering may in the long run be harmful to human health and the environment unless effective regulatory frameworks are implemented. Indeed, the public and private sectors must manage the introduction and use of biotechnology to maximize benefits and minimize risks.

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Agricultural Biotechnology, Poverty Reduction, and Food ...

You can view a list of potential veterinary career paths here.

Whether they're pets, livestock or working animals, animals matter to individuals and society. Every community needs veterinary professionals to provide animal health care, but veterinarians also do many other kinds of jobs. They make sure the nation's food supply is safe. They work to control the spread of diseases. They conduct research that helps both animals and humans. Veterinarians are at the forefront of protecting the public's health and welfare.

Besides medical skills, veterinarians often take a holistic approach to human well-being and animal welfare that, combined with communications and problem-solving skills, makes veterinarians uniquely qualified to fulfill a variety of roles. Many veterinarians, of course, provide care for companion animals through private medical practices, but veterinarians are also involved in promoting the health and welfare of farm animals, exotic animals, working animals (like those in the equine industry), and those that need a healthy environment in which to thrive, whether that environment is a rain forest, a desert or even the ocean.

Outside of companion animal practice, the largest employer of veterinarians in the United States is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, but veterinarians are found throughout government in roles where they contribute to public health, the environment, and even homeland security, as well as working in research and public policy.

Many veterinarians are engaged in work at the intersection of both human and animal health. For example, veterinarians play an important role in food safety, where epidemiological research is crucial to forecasting the threat of food-borne diseases and outbreaks. They work to keep cattle and other food animals healthy by developing and testing various farm control methods that help to detect, limit, and prevent the spread of food that might be contaminated by salmonella, E coli or other pathogens. And theyre often on the front lines of surveillance where their extensive medical training can help them to detect and treat the outbreak of diseases that have the potential to make the jump from animals to humans.

Unmet needs for veterinary expertise exist in some sectors of veterinary medicine, such as public health, biomedical research, and food safety. To help address the lack of veterinarians in biomedical research, the AAVMC is a co-sponsor of the Merial Veterinary Scholars Program. The program's mission is to expose veterinary medical students in their first or second year of veterinary school to biomedical research and career opportunities in research. The program culminates in the Merial NIH National Veterinary Scholars Symposium, where veterinary students participating in the program gather from all over the United States and Canada to present their research findings and share experiences from their various programs.

Learn more about how to embark on a path that will lead to a veterinary medical career on our Students, Applicants and Advisors portal.

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Careers in Veterinary Medicine

Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important? What are the unique properties of all stem cells? What are embryonic stem cells? What are adult stem cells? What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? What are induced pluripotent stem cells? What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be realized? Where can I get more information?

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions.

Until recently, scientists primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. The functions and characteristics of these cells will be explained in this document. Scientists discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos more than 30 years ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery, in 1998, of a method to derive stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory. These cells are called human embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in these studies were created for reproductive purposes through in vitro fertilization procedures. When they were no longer needed for that purpose, they were donated for research with the informed consent of the donor. In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough by identifying conditions that would allow some specialized adult cells to be "reprogrammed" genetically to assume a stem cell-like state. This new type of stem cell, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), will be discussed in a later section of this document.

Stem cells are important for living organisms for many reasons. In the 3- to 5-day-old embryo, called a blastocyst, the inner cells give rise to the entire body of the organism, including all of the many specialized cell types and organs such as the heart, lungs, skin, sperm, eggs and other tissues. In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and brain, discrete populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease.

Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. However, much work remains to be done in the laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use these cells for cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.

Laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about the cells essential properties and what makes them different from specialized cell types. Scientists are already using stem cells in the laboratory to screen new drugs and to develop model systems to study normal growth and identify the causes of birth defects.

Research on stem cells continues to advance knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology, but, as with many expanding fields of scientific inquiry, research on stem cells raises scientific questions as rapidly as it generates new discoveries.

I.Introduction|Next

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Stem Cell Basics: Introduction [Stem Cell Information]

Internet sites offer help for people suffering from a dizzying array of serious conditions, including: Alzheimers, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, atherosclerosis, autism, brain damage, cancer, cerebellar ataxia, cerebral palsy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Crohns, diabetes, diseases of the eye, genetic disorders, Huntingtons, kidney disease, lupus, muscular sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinsons, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord injury, spinal muscular atrophy, stroke, and Tay-Sachs disease.

There are clinics all around the world but especially in China, India, the Caribbean, Latin America, and nations of the former Soviet Union that will provide stem cell treatments for those long-intractable conditions. Never mind that cancer is the only disease category on that list for which there is published, scientifically valid evidence showing that stem cell therapy may help. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of desperate people are flocking to clinics that charge tens of thousands of dollars for every unproven treatment.

That stem cell tourism was the subject of a panel discussion titled Stem Cell Therapy and Medical Tourism: Of Promise and Peril? presented Wednesday by the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) and the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics.

Brock Reeve, HSCI executive director, introduced the topic by pointing out to those attending the session in Harvard Law Schools Austin Hall that there is medical tourism, and then there is medical tourism. After all, Reeve noted, patients flock from all over the world to the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Dana-Farber Center Institute, and other Boston research hospitals for cutting-edge, scientifically validated treatments for a host of diseases.

But then there is the other kind of medical tourism, and every member of the panel agreed with speaker Timothy A. Caulfield, the Canada Research chair in health, law, and policy at the University of Alberta, when he said that the stem cell tourism phenomenon hurts the legitimacy of the entire field of stem cell science and medicine.

The stem cell tourism phenomenon hurts the legitimacy of the entire field of stem cell science and medicine, noted Timothy A. Caulfield of the University of Alberta.

While adult stem cells have been used for decades to treat a number of malignancies bone marrow transplants are, in fact, blood stem cell transplants those treatments, said George Q. Daley, the Samuel E. Lux IV Professor of Hematology/Oncology and director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Childrens Hospital Boston and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, are the only stem cell treatments that are not experimental.

Daley, a member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institutes executive committee and past president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, added that we are seeing a growing number of legitimate clinical trials, but all such uses are experimental and there is great skepticism as to whether we have the scientific knowledge and basis even to predict that these will be effective. It may, he said, take decades before there is certainty.

But the overseas clinics selling stem cell therapy for a sweeping catalog of diseases arent offering patients places in clinical trials. They are touting what they claim are established treatments, with proven results. Caulfield and his colleagues in Alberta have conducted a number of studies on what is being offered at the overseas clinics, what claims are being made, who is seeking the treatments, and why. He said that the treatments are offered as safe, routine, and effective, but none of what is being offered matched what the scientific literature said. He accused the clinics of financial exploitation of desperate people, and said those who raise money to finance pilgrimages to them are raising money to turn over to a fraud.

While adult stem cells have been used for decades to treat a number of malignancies bone marrow transplants are, in fact, blood stem cell transplants those treatments, said Professor George Q. Daley, are the only stem cell treatments that are not experimental.

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Stem cell tourism growing trend | Harvard Gazette

December 21, 2014 A Role for Clinical Ethics Consultants in Stem Cell Tourism Recently Dr. Christopher Thomas Scott of Stanford University wrote a great paper titled The Case of Stem Cell Counselors inStem Cell Reportswhich draws parallels from the field of genetic counseling arguing for the need for stem cell counsellors (1). Scott outlines that due to increases in the number of stem cell trials combined with fraudulent therapies being offered around the world, the time is ripe for having counsellors help patients navigate the clinical stem cell research/therapy landscape. These experts can help patients identify and distinguish legitimate trials from unproven interventions, explain the risks, benefits and therapeutic options, and serve as a resource to provide them with educational information. On a related topic, my colleagues and I at AMBI were going to write a paper arguing that clinical ethics consultants should be involved in countering the impact of stem cell tourism and serve as a resource for patients who are contemplating undertaking an unproven stem cell based intervention (SCBI). We thought that clinical ethics consultants are in a unique position to offer advice and counselling to patients seeking unproven SCBIs for a few reasons. The Alden March Bioethics Institute offers a Master of Science in Bioethics, a Doctorate of Professional Studies in Bioethics, and Graduate Certificates in Clinical Ethics and Clinical Ethics Consultation. For more information on AMBI's online graduate programs, please visit ourwebsite. November 23, 2014 Deregulation and Free Markets for Stem Cell Products Paolo Bianco and colleague Douglas Sipp wrote a very provocative and interesting piece recently published in the journalNature(http://www.nature.com/news/regulation-sell-help-not-hope-1.15409)discussing a movement to permit stem cell medicines, among others, to be sold in the market without the requirement to show much safety and efficacy data permitting the market to determine safety and effectiveness of compounds. Here, patients would basically pay to obtain products and also be research subjects. Certain powerful groups are calling for the deregulation of clinical medicine as a business model to bring innovative products to the marketplace. But before I begin explaining what Bianco and Sipp discuss, we need to cover the current system of regulatory oversight of medical products. The Alden March Bioethics Institute offers a Master of Science in Bioethics, a Doctorate of Professional Studies in Bioethics, and Graduate Certificates in Clinical Ethics and Clinical Ethics Consultation. For more information on AMBI's online graduate programs, please visit ourwebsite. September 23, 2014 Stem Cell Tourism and Patient Education What is the role of public education and stem cell tourism? What type of education is available to patients, caregivers and the public? Can public education actually change peoples minds such that they wont undergo an unproven stem cell-based intervention (SCBI)? These are the questions I will discuss here. But first, lets just give a brief description of stem cell tourism and outline some of the proposals discussed to stop this industry. The Stem Cell Tourism Industry and Ways to Curtail the Market Briefly, stem cell tourism is a term used to describe an Internet-based, direct-to-consumer advertised industry where patients receive unproven SCBIs for a range of diseases and injuries. Many clinics offering unproven SCBIs are in countries with lax regulations and enforcement. However, these clinics are also increasingly popping up in highly regulated countries like the U.S., U.K. and Australia. The term stem cell tourism is misleading because patients may not necessarily need to travel a great distance to receive such interventions, and focuses on patient behaviors instead of others involved in this market including regulatory agencies and the providers offering them. Moreover, there are some real risks to stem cell tourism. Beyond patients being financially exploited, there are several reports of tumors, lesions, tremors, other problems, and even deaths of individuals receiving unproven SCBIs. And there seems to be a stem cell treatment for just about every disease and injury, no matter how severe or benign if the patient can pay anywhere from $8,000-$30,000. Clinics advertise for serious conditions such as heart disease, stroke, MS, Parkinsons disease, ALS, and spinal cord injury among many others. You might have also heard of major NFL stars receiving SCBIs for sports injuries, movie stars receiving anti-aging stem cell treatments, and even a U.S. Governor receiving stem cells for chronic back pain. The fact that celebrities and public figures are receiving untested SCBIs is likely to make it seem that they are safe and effective and only bolsters the market. Yet there are very few bonafide stem cell treatments out there. While more clinical trials using stem cells are underway (1), it will become increasingly difficult for patients to discern between a legitimate clinical study and a fraudulent intervention. And because of all the hype, ethical issues, and misconduct scandals having to do with stem cell research, having patients become injured due to an unproven SCBI is not only bad itself of course, but also can seriously stifle the stem cell field. The Alden March Bioethics Institute offers a Master of Science in Bioethics, a Doctorate of Professional Studies in Bioethics, and Graduate Certificates in Clinical Ethics and Clinical Ethics Consultation. For more information on AMBI's online graduate programs, please visit ourwebsite. March 30, 2014 Stem Cell Tourism & Education I have written on this blog about the topic of stem cell tourism and the different strategies that have been proposed to stop the phenomenon. Just to provide a background on the topic from a previous blog: stemcell tourism is used to describe an internet-based direct-to-consumer advertised industry where clinics offer untested and unproven stem cell interventions as bonafide therapies to patients with a range of diseases and injuries including Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS, blindness, cancer, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury and many others. Basically there is no scientific evidence of safety of efficacy of these modalities to offer them on a for-profit basis to patients. The term was originally coined as a form of tourism because patients traveled from countries like the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia to clinics in countries with lax regulations, but this simply is not the case anymore. There are several clinics within highly regulated countries like U.S. that offer stem cell interventions. Of the several strategies people have discussed, one of the first has been on the topic of providing education to patients and the public. Here, people argue that providing education on the dangers of stem cell tourism might actually sway patients to not undertake unproven stem cell interventions. As some scholars have mentioned, education might not be as effective because it depends on a rationale actor model where we assume that patients will behave rationally and make choices based on weighing the harms and benefits of seeking unproven treatments. More so, such an argument does not sufficiently consider the hope patients have to ameliorate their disease, reduce pain or other symptoms, and increase their quality of life. While these counterarguments are certain rational and likely to be true, there is yet no solid evidence showing whether education on stem cell tourism is effective at swaying people from traveling for unproven interventions. But even if before we go into whether education might influence a patients decision to travel for unproven stem cell treatments, I think we need to assess the role of patient education in medicine. The Alden March Bioethics Institute offers a Master of Science in Bioethics, a Doctorate of Professional Studies in Bioethics, and Graduate Certificates in Clinical Ethics and Clinical Ethics Consultation. For more information on AMBI's online graduate programs, please visit ourwebsite.

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stem cell tourism | Bioethics.net

Scientific discoveries can lead to great enthusiasm about their potential medical benefits. A danger is that this enthusiasm may lead to hype and exaggerated claims of near-term benefits. In the realm of stem cell research, excitement about the benefits of this field have led to a variety of clinics opening around the world that offer therapies that are not yet proven to be safe or effective. When patients travel nationally or internationally to obtain unproven stem cell therapies it is known as "stem cell tourism". This video aims to explain this term in a brief and concise format.

If you are considering obtaining a cellular therapy, please consult the resources below to find our more information regarding the potential risks.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Stem Cell Network: Stem cell hype and the dangers of stem cell tourism - stemcellnetwork.ca/index.php?page=stem-cell-hype-and-the-dangers-of-stem-cell-tourism International Society for Stem Cell Research's "A Closer Look at Stem Cells" - closerlookatstemcells.org/

SCRIPT: In the past 50 years, stem cell research has led to some groundbreaking therapies including bone marrow transplantation and skin grafting. Today, stem cell research continues to hold the promise of new treatments for many diseases.

However most of these potential treatments are still experimental.

Any experimental therapy must first be carefully tested to make sure it is both safe and effective before it is approved for patients.

This testing process normally takes several years during which time many experimental treatments may fail because they are unsafe, ineffective or both.

Despite this, clinics throughout the world offer untested and potentially dangerous stem-cell-based treatments, usually at a high cost to the patient. As a result, these locations have become a destination for stem cell tourism - where hopeful patients travel internationally to seek unapproved stem cell therapies.

Before patients spend time and money, they should familiarize themselves with the facts and think twice about obtaining expensive treatments that have not yet been proven safe or effective.

CREDITS Narration by: Professor Timothy Caulfield Written & Directed by: Ben Paylor & Mike Long Produced by: Infoshots - infoshots.ca Animation by: David Murawsky - davidmurawsky.com/ Sound by: James Wallace - imdb.com/name/nm0908691/ Funding by: Stem Cell Network and Canadian Stem Cell Foundation

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What is stem cell tourism? Narrated by Professor Timothy ...

Science Documentary: Stem Cells,Regenerative Medicine,Artificial Heart,a future medicine documentary

Science Documentary: Stem Cells,Regenerative Medicine,Artificial Heart,a future medicine documentary In each and every one of our organs and tissue, we have stem cells. These stem cells can develop into many different kinds of cells. They can continue to divide in order to replace damaged cell tissue. As we grow older, we loose some of our stem cells, as well as the ability of those stem cells to repair organs and tissue. The function and ability of the stem cells varies greatly between men and women. Each stem cell can become a specific type of cell that has its own function, or it can remain a stem cell. The two main differences between normal cells and stem cells are that stem cells have the potential for self renewal. The second difference is that stem cells can be manipulated to become a specific organ or tissue cell, like muscle cells, bone marrow cells, brain cells, blood cells, and other cells of the central nervous system. The future of medicine will see a huge increase in the use of stem cells to treat various health problems, such as, heart disease, birth defects, paralysis, diabetes and many more. In the field of regenerative medicine, scientist are now able to regenerate whole organs and tissue, and in the future, they will be able to regenerate an entire human heart with the use of stem cells. In the meantime, the development of artificial hearts for transplanting into human patients has grown exponentially. In the early stages of artificial heart development, the heart pumps were a lot larger and a lot bulkier, and were used by doctors to replace just one side of the heart. But now, there are patients that have had heart transplant surgery, in which the entire heart was replaced by a much smaller and completely artificial heart. In the future, doctors may have all the tools readily available to them to treat and cure any form of cardiovascular disease, as well as the ability to treat and cure spinal cord injury. Science Documentary: Graphene , a documentary on nanotechnology and nanomaterials http://youtu.be/IUrqyuw-6Iw Science Documentary: Nanotechnology,Quantum Computers, Cyborg Anthropology a future tech documentary http://youtu.be/sCLnHKl0GT4 Science Documentary: Cognitive science , a documentary on mind processes, artificial intelligence http://youtu.be/0T_nOzpBYxU Science Documentary: Planet formation, a documentary on elements, early earth and plate tectonics http://youtu.be/yQexV341t-E Science documentary : Expansion of the Universe , a science documentary on expanding space http://youtu.be/nxsOVYmwSOk Science Documentary: The Sun, a science documentary on star life cycles, star formation http://youtu.be/VJ9fmAGShvs Science Documentary: Cosmic Microwave Background the oldest light in the universe http://youtu.be/fSPQbrxD75w Science Documentary : Electromagnetic Spectrum , a science documentary on forms of light http://youtu.be/41Q6FeO-_8I ScienceRound on Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102384224840004876140/102384224840004876140/posts

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Stem cell Wild West takes root amid lack of US ...

The Stem Cell Institute http://www.cellmedicine.com/

The Stem Cell Institute lists academic publications of stem cell research on its website, some of which are in peer-reviewed journals, and some which are not. Although it is difficult to assess the level of potential bias of any scientific research funded by self-interested parties or clinicians, it appears that collaboration with researchers in the US, Europe, and across the world at major universities and other well-respected institutions lends an air of credibility to these publications. Research so far has looked at stem cells in cases of autism, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis, and critical limb ischaemia among other conditions. Another interesting aspect to the work done at the Stem Cell Institute is that which is being advanced by Dr. Paul Cheney, who became involved with Medistem Inc. in order to promote a cream he had created that purports to change Cell Signalling Factors (CSFs). This cream, which is sourced from the organs of bison (an animal which has been falsely attributed as never suffering from cancer), uses CSFs to compel the body to alter gene expression which is impacting on illness (Sieverling, 2009).

Dr. Cheneys theory is that by re-booting the gene expression prior to stem cell treatment the patient will see more of an effect from the treatment as the stem cells will not be corrupted by faulty, diseased, gene expression. The evidence for this is shaky at best, and the use of the CSFs with stem cells remains untested clinically. Patients should be wary of spending a significant amount of money on treatments which may exacerbate their conditions, particularly those with fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome who can be extremely sensitive to the thymus extract and adrenal extract that may be present in some of these treatments. Cheney himself has sounded the alert about this potential issue, and is, rather sensibly, limiting the CSF therapy to specific patients only (Sieverling, 2009).

The Stem Cell Institute has eight doctors, who appear to be operating out of the Punta Pacifica Hospital, and currently accepts patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Type 2 Diabetes, cardiomyopathy, osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and spinal cord injury. The Stem Cell Institutes website claims that no long term side effects have been reported with this type of treatment. This does not seem exactly true considering the recent complications highlighted in treatment at the XCell Center in Germany, and with a child recently at a clinic in Israel. Prospective patients can contact the institute through their website.

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Stem Cell Clinics Panama | Stem Cell Institute

Download Ten Problems with Embryonic Stem Cell Research PDF

Embryonic stem cells are the basic building blocks for some 260 types of cells in the body and can become anything: heart, muscle, brain, skin, blood. Researchers hope that by guiding stem cells in the laboratory into specific cell types, they can be used to treat diabetes, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, or other disorders. The primary clinical source is the aborted fetus and unused embryos currently housed in frozen storage at IVF facilities. A developed stem cell line comes from a single embryo, becoming a colony of cells that reproduces indefinitely. Consider now the following ten problems with Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR).

1. The issue of who or what

As the nation sits embroiled over the battle of where to draw the line on ESCR, the real issue that truly divides us is whether embryonic stems represent a who or a what. In other words, are we talking about people or property?

Since Roe v. Wade we have not been willing or able as a nation to address the issue. As a result, those who oppose ESCR and those who support it will never reach an acceptable point of compromise. Still, in the midst of the flurry of all this biotechnology and all the problems it presents, there is some very good news that has been overlooked by almost everyone. Ready? Cloning proves scientifically that life begins at conceptiona position to which the author and most Christians philosophically already adhere.

Additionally, the insights provided by cloning technology destroy the scientific and legal basis of distinguishing a preembryo from an embryo, the popular distinction made at 14 days after conception. This is significant because this distinction determines the handling and treatment of human life less than 14 days old, which is so basic to all ESCR.

In short, our understanding of embryonic development as provided by cloning technology could force not only those who participate in ESCR specifically, but also those who participate in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures generally, to recognize there is no real preembryoembryo distinction and that all human life begins at conception. Therefore, as a nation, we should rightly adjust the moral and legal treatment and status of all embryos to people not property from the point of conception.

2. The deliberate misuse of terminology in defining stem cells

Proponents of ESCR often use the term pluripotent. This word intends to imply that the ESC cannot make or reform the outer layer of the embryo called the trophoblast. The trophoblast is required for implantation of the embryo into the uterus. This is a distinction used by proponents of ESCR to imply a fully formed implantable embryo cannot and does not reform after the original embryo is sacrificed. This is significant because to isolate the stem cells, scientists peel away the trophoblast or skin of the embryo much like the peel of an orange. They then discharge the contents of the embryo into a petri dish.

At this stage of development, the stem cells that comprise almost the entire inner body of the early embryo look and function very similar to one another. Once put into the petri dish, the un-programmed cells can be manipulated to multiply and divide endlessly into specific cell types. The question regarding use of the term pluripotent is whether stem cells emptied into the petri dish can reform the trophoblast creating an implantable embryo of the originally sacrificed embryo?

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Ten Problems with Embryonic Stem Cell Research | The ...

Stephen Barrett, M.D.

Stem cell therapy is certainly a promising area for research. Stem cells have the ability to give rise to many specialized cells in an organism. Certain types of stem cells are already used to restore blood-forming and immune system function after high-dose chemotherapy for some types of cancer, and several other restorative uses have been demonstrated. The broadest potential application is the generation of cells and tissues that could be used to repair or replace damaged organs. If scientists can learn how to control stem cell conversion into new, functionally mature cells, doctors might be able to cure many diseases for which therapy is currently inadequate [1,2]. However, the claims made by commercial promoters go way beyond what is now likely and should be regarded with extreme skepticism. The main commercial sources have included Embryonic Tissues Center in the Ukraine; Stem Cell of America (formerly called Medra, Inc) in Mexico; the Brain Therapeutics Medical Clinic (formerly called the Health Restoration Medical Center and the Brain Cell Therapeutic Clinic) in Mission Viejo, California; the Vita Nova Clinic in Barbados; and the Beijing Xishan Institute for Neuroregeneration and Functional Recovery in Beijing, China.

The Embryonic Tissues Center (EmCell) appears to be the oldest commercial source of embryonic stem cell therapy. Its proprietors, Alexander Smikodub, M.D., Ph.D., and Alexey Karpenko, M.D., Ph.D., are described as professors at National Medical University. The EmCell Web site claims:

How credible are these claims? How are the cells prepared? Are steps taken to ensure that they are not infectious? How was it determined that patients have no side effects? Does the clinic follow its patients and keep score? Have enough cancer patients to determine 5-year survival rates? Have Smikodub and Karpenko published their results? Do their theories and methodology make sense?

The ALS Therapy Development Foundation has been monitoring claims that fetal stem cell infusions might be effective against amyotropic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Its Web site states that two American physicians (Mitchell Ghen, D.O., and Dan Cosgrove, M.D.) have treated patients in a "new and untested way," but so far no conclusions could be drawn about effectiveness. Foundation documents also note that (a) some patients have experienced flu-like symptoms, (b) three patients have had dark-colored urine that may signify hemolytic anemia and/or kidney damage, and (c) it is not clear whether the stem cells are actually surviving long enough to have an effect [10,11]. In March 2003, the FDA seized records at Ghen's clinic and Cosgrove said he had stopped offering the treatment [12]. Cryobanks International, which had supplied the cells to Ghen and Cosgrove, stopped doing so after the FDA contacted them [13].

The ALS Foundation has also investigated the Cell Therapy Clinic by talking with a staff physician, sending a detailed follow-up questionnaire, and talking with several former patients. The Foundation's report states:

In August 2003, I did Medline searches to see whether Smikodub or Karpenko had published any reports about their patients in peer-reviewed medical journals. I found none that appeared relevant to the curative claims described above.

The chief American commercializer of embryonic stem cell therapy is William C. Rader, M.D., a psychiatrist in Malibu, California, who used to run Rader Institute clinics that specialized in treating eating disorders. For $25,000 (wired in advance), Rader will arrange for treatment at his Mexican clinic. In the past, he has also done business under the names Mediquest Ltd., Czech Foundation, Dulcinea Institute, Ltd., and Medra, Inc. A message posted to the Yahoo StemCells group indicates that before he opened his own clinic (in 1997 in the Bahamas), Rader escorted patients to the Ukraine clinic. Like EmCell, Rader has claimed that his fetal stem cell treatment is not antigenic and has no side effects. In a 1997 document, he stated:

Because fetal cells uniquely do not have antigenicity, they can be given to anyone with no reaction, no rejection, immunusuppressive drug therapy, or any side effects whatsoever. When a patient receives fetal fresh cell therapy (usually given intravenously over a few hours. . . ), the first action of cells is to stimulate the cells already present in the recipient's system, making them more potent. Then they actually replace the recipient's immune cells and, eventually engraft, which means they actually continually grow more fetal cells, resulting in a new and stronger immune system [15].

With respect to cancer, Rader has claimed that his treatment enables chemotherapy and radiation to continue longer and virtually eliminate their side effects [15]. Medra's "Factsheet" claimed:

Read more here:
The Shady Side of Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy

The primary function of the kidney is to remove excess water and waste from the body. Acute kidney failure occurs when the kidneys are suddenly unable to remove waste and concentrate urine without the loss of electrolytes. Chronic kidney failure is the gradual loss of kidney function over time.

The causes of kidney damage can include acute tubular necrosis, a kidney disorder, autoimmune kidney diseases, extremely low blood pressure, clotting disorders of the blood vessels in the kidneys, certain infections that affect the kidney including septicemia, pregnancy complications and urinary tract obstruction.

There are many possible kidney failure symptoms: bloody stools, bruising easily, bad breath, mood changes, reduced appetite, fatigue, hand tremors, decreased sensation, flank pain, high blood pressure, nosebleeds, nausea, vomiting, metallic taste in the mouth, seizures, fluid retention, bleeding longer than usual, persistent hiccups and urination changes.

Adult stem cells are undifferentiated and can morph into the cells of countless tissues, organs and structures within our bodies. Used in many treatments, they restore damaged fibers and rejuvenate impaired cells through cell division, a process in which they multiply indefinitely. Stem cell science has seen much progress in recent years with many new discoveries being made.

Angeles Healths Stem Cell Therapy program can be applied to a variety of conditions including kidney failure. Like many other procedures treatment for kidney failure uses autologous adult stem cells. These are harnessed from the kidney failure patient themselves so there is very little chance of a patients body rejecting them.

Stem cells are taken from the patients bone marrow and adipose tissue, or fat. Adipose tissue extraction tends to be more worthwhile than bone marrow extraction, due to the tissue producing up to ten times more stem cells. It is therefore much more widely used. It is also a much easier process to carry out.

The therapeutic endovascular placement of adipose-derived stem cells that makes up the Stem Cell Therapy treatment program at Hospital Angeles enables organs and structures to be targeted directly.

The specialized non-invasive catheterization process is manageable for the patient. Stem cells can be easily distributed around the body, there is no need for an anesthetic and the procedure is over in less than an hour.

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Treatment for Kidney failure with Stem Cell Therapy | Stem ...

Poway, CA (PRWEB) February 06, 2014

Stem Cell Therapy for Feline Kidney Disease is a special interest piece produced by Nicky Sims, the owner of Kitters, who recently had Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell Therapy for his Feline Kidney Disease. Nicky highlights Kitters journey through diagnosis of the disease and his recent stem cell therapy, as well as educating about stem cells and their benefits.

Nickys film explains that Kitters began showing signs of kidney failure at the age of 15, exhibiting classic symptoms. Lack of appetite, excessive thirst, nausea and lethargy. In 2012, Kitters was officially diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure. Kidney disease. He was prescribed a low protein diet and subcutaneous fluids for rehydration. This has been the standard treatment for decades although it's only been shown to slow the progression of the disease. Not reverse it.

Dr. Richter at Montclair Veterinary Hospital thinks that there is something else that can help. In recent years, his hospital has begun using stem cells to treat animals for various orthopedic conditions such as pain from arthritis and dysplasia. In October 2013, Kitters would be the first cat he'd treated with stem cell therapy for Feline Kidney Disease.

Dr. Richter explains why this could work for Kitters, Stem cells are cells within your body that are able to turn into any other cell in the body. Kitters has kidney issues. What weve done is harvested some fat from his abdomen and sent that fat to Vet-Stem in San Diego. What they do is isolate the stem cells from the fatty tissue. They concentrate them and send them back to us. In the case of an animal with kidney disease, we just give the stem cells intravenously. What that's going to do is begin the healing and rebuilding process.

Nickys film explores the importance of kidneys stating they play a vital role, ridding the body of toxins. As kidney disease progresses scar tissue develops making it harder to filter toxins. Damage to the kidneys makes the animal vulnerable to a number of other health conditions. Unfortunately the disease usually goes undiagnosed given that the symptoms of the disease often don't show until 2/3 of the kidneys are damaged.

Kitters own stem cells were used with the hope of repairing his damaged tissue Dr. Richter goes on, The nice thing about stem cells is that there is no issue of tissue rejection, since it's Kitters own stem cells. Additionally, if there is anything else going on in his body beyond the kidneys its going to address that as well. So, it's a really wonderful systemic treatment.

To find out more or view the special interest piece by Nicky Sims, Stem Cell Therapy for Feline Kidney Disease, visit this link.

About Vet-Stem, Inc.

Vet-Stem, Inc. was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the veterinary profession. The privately held company is working to develop therapies in veterinary medicine that apply regenerative technologies while utilizing the natural healing properties inherent in all animals. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, Vet-Stem, Inc. pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells in veterinary medicine. The company holds exclusive licenses to over 50 patents including world-wide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells. In the last decade over 10,000 animals have been treated using Vet-Stem, Inc.s services. Vet-Stem is actively investigating stem cell therapy for immune-mediated and inflammatory disease, as well as organ disease and failure. For more on Vet-Stem, Inc. and Veterinary Regenerative Medicine visit http://www.vet-stem.com or call 858-748-2004.

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Stem Cell Therapy for Feline Kidney Disease, a Video ...

Submitted By:JasonWaterman, M.D.

Published online: January 2009

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is now commonly used to treat a variety of illnesses including multiple myeloma, Hodgkins lymphoma, and non-Hodgkins lymphoma (see Stem Cell Transplant by Dr. Matt Kalaycio http://www.cancernews.com/data/Article/258.asp). The transplant process has multiple steps including preparation prior to transplant, the transplant with post-transplant hospital observation, and long-term observation. Each step in the process has its own complications, and thus requires close monitoring to quickly identify and treat any problems. This article focuses specifically on the identification and management of complications of ASCT.

Prior to autologous transplantation a thorough evaluation will take place by an oncologist including a history and physical examination, lab testing, imaging, bone marrow biopsy, and a social work consultation to determine a patients readiness for transplantation. Once a decision to pursue transplantation is made, a sufficient number of the patients stem cells are collected in order to have enough stem cells to reestablish the immune system after transplantation.

To make the collection of stem cells easier, the patient is given a medication called granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for 4-5 days prior to collection to stimulate the bone marrow to produce and release more stem cells into the blood stream. Certain chemotherapy agents may also be used in this process to ensure that the highest possible number of stem cells are collected. The stem cells can be taken from the bone marrow or from the peripheral blood.

Collection of stem cells from the bone marrow proceeds just like a bone marrow biopsy and the extracted liquid marrow then undergoes processing to isolate the stem cells needed for transplantation. The process used to collect the stem cells from the blood is called leukopheresis. Leukopheresis involves taking blood from a patients vein and passing it through a machine that will remove the stem cells needed for transplant before returning the blood back to the patient through the vein. Either process takes a few hours and may need to be repeated in order to collect enough stem cells.

Stem cell collection is most often done as an outpatient procedure and generally results in few complications, which are mostly mild and easily reversible. The most common complications of leukopheresis include a drop in blood pressure (hypotension), dizziness, numbness and tingling, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Bone marrow collection can also be complicated by soreness and bleeding at the site of collection, which rarely requires blood transfusion. Treatment for hypotension and dizziness is usually accomplished by giving the patient intravenous fluids to bolster the blood pressure during the collection. Calcium is infused if numbness and tingling occur. Nausea and vomiting are common and multiple medications are available for treatment. Fevers are common, generally mild, and most often short-lived. Fevers associated with stem cell collection frequently respond to acetaminophen, although a small number of patients may need to have their blood evaluated to make sure there is no underlying blood stream infection.

When enough stem cells have been collected and it is time for transplantation, the patient is admitted to the hospital and begins a process called conditioning, or myeloablation. The goal of conditioning is to destroy the cancer cells in the body by administering high doses of chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy. The most dangerous side effect of conditioning is that the patients natural immune system is destroyed in the process. This is the portion of the transplant process which is the most important in terms of outcome for the patient, because complications at this stage of transplant are potentially fatal. The next step is then the infusion of stored stem cells back into the patients blood stream to regenerate the patients natural immune system.

Short-term side effects from the actual transplantation of stem cells include fever, chills, hives, chest tightness, hypotension, and coughing. Usually these are mild, and the transplant is rarely stopped because of these symptoms. Once in the blood stream, the stem cells travel to the bone marrow where they will stay and begin to produce all the bodys different blood cells in a process called engraftment. The process of engraftment can take 2-4 weeks, and full reestablishment of the immune system may take several months. The common complications during engraftment revolve around the lack of appropriate numbers of blood cells from the conditioning process, as well as toxicities from the conditioning agents themselves.

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Complications of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation

Stem Cells, Regenerative Medicine, and Tissue Engineering

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Treatments classed as regenerative medicine help our natural healing processes work more rapidly and more effectively. These technologies can enable regeneration in missing or damaged tissue that would not ordinarily regrow, producing at least partial regeneration, and in some promising animal studies complete regeneration.

Strategies presently either under development, in clinical trials, or available via medical tourism include stem cell transplants, manipulation of a patient's own stem cells, and the use of implanted scaffold materials that emit biochemical signals to spur stem cells into action. In the field of tissue engineering, researchers have generated sections of tissue outside the body for transplant, using the patient's own cells to minimize the possibility of transplant rejection. Regenerative therapies have been demonstrated in the laboratory to at least partially heal broken bones, bad burns, blindness, deafness, heart damage, worn joints, nerve damage, the lost brain cells of Parkinson's disease, and a range of other conditions. Less complex organs such as the bladder and the trachea have been constructed from a patient's cells and scaffolds and successfully transplanted.

Work continues to bring these advances to patients. Many forms of treatment are offered outside the US and have been for a decade or more in some cases, while within the US just a few of the simple forms of stem cell transplant have managed to pass the gauntlet of the FDA in the past few years.

What Are Stem Cells?

Some of the most impressive demonstrations of regenerative medicine since the turn of the century have used varying forms of stem cells - embryonic, adult, and most recently induced pluripotent stem cells - to trigger healing in the patient. Most of the earlier successful clinical applications were aimed at the alleviation of life-threatening heart conditions. However, varying degrees of effectiveness have also been demonstrated for the repair of damage in other organs, such as joints, the liver, kidneys, nerves, and so forth.

Stem cells are unprogrammed cells in the human body that can continue dividing forever and can change into other types of cells. Because stem cells can become bone, muscle, cartilage and other specialized types of cells, they have the potential to treat many diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer. They are found in embryos at very early stages of development (embyonic stem cells) and in some adult organs, such as bone marrow and brain (adult stem cells). You can find more information on stem cells at the following sites:

Embryonic and adult stem cells appear to have different effects, limitations and abilities. The current scientific consensus is that adult stem cells are limited in their utility, and that both embryonic and adult stem cell research will be required to develop cures for severe and degenerative diseases. Researchers are also making rapid progress in reprogramming stem cells and creating embryonic-like stem cells from ordinary cells.

Progress in Stem Cell Research

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Stem Cells, Regenerative Medicine, and Tissue Engineering

The American health-care industrys pivot to personalized medicine has attracted the interest of an unlikely group of companies government contractors.

As health-care providers explore this new model of treatment, which involves the study of the human genome to provide personalized care, they face a problem with which many in government are familiar: analyzing an overwhelming amount of data.

Were literally drowning in data, said Norman Sharpless, an oncologist and director of the University of North Carolinas Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The amount of information generated from sequencing human genes is growing at a rapid clip, and it has triggered a rush of clinical trials aimed at linking that knowledge to medical treatment. Cataloguing all this new information requires computational power and sophisticated analysis, Sharpless said.

For IT contractors, many of which are based in the Washington region, the flood of information presents a simple business opportunity: The same skills used to crunch massive amounts of data for cyberthreats or warfare intelligence can be applied to personalized medicine.

The governments growing interest in this field also is a factor.

In his State of the Union speech this year, President Obama outlined an initiative to explore the uses of precision medicine. His budget includes a request for $215million to fund research in this area. The White House also hired its first chief data scientist, DJ Patil, who has made precision medicine one of his priorities.

Many contractors, especially those in information technology, have been eager to pursue opportunities in precision medicine as they look to add lines of business to make up for cuts in other parts of the federal budget as overall spending slows.

That is why so many different kinds of businesses including defense giants Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, and cloud storage providers such as Amazon Web Services and Google are getting in on the game.

Lockheed Martin announced a partnership this year with Illumina, a San Diego company that provides relatively inexpensive genome sequencing technology, to study the DNA of populations and develop personalized health-care solutions. For Illumina, the partnership offered access to Lockheeds experience in managing large-scale information systems, Alex Dickinson, Illuminas senior vice president of strategic initiatives, said at the time.

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Personalized medicine could mean big business for D.C ...