StemCell Therapy

Stem cells have the unique ability to become any type of cell in the body. Given this, the possibility that they can be cultured and engineered in the laboratory makes them an attractive option for regenerative medicine. However, some conditions that are commonly used for culturing human stem cells have the potential to introduce contaminants, thus rendering the cells unusable for clinical use. These conditions cannot be avoided, however, as they help maintain the pluripotency of the stem cells.

In a study published in Scientific Reports, a group from the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies in Japan has gained new insight into the role of CCL2, a chemokine known to be involved in the immune response, in the enhancement of stem cell pluripotency. In the study, the researchers replaced basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a critical component of human stem cell culture, with CCL2 and studied its effect. The work showed that CCL2 used as a replacement for bFGF activated the JAK/STAT pathway, which is known to be involved in the immune response and maintenance of mouse pluripotent stem cells. In addition, the cells cultured with CCL2 demonstrated a higher tendency of colony attachment, high efficiency of cellular differentiation, and hints of X chromosome reactivation in female cells, all markers of pluripotency.

To understand the global effects of CCL2, the researchers compared the transcriptome of stem cells cultured with CCL2 and those with bFGF. They found that stem cells cultured with CCL2 had higher expression of genes related to the hypoxic response, such as HIF2A (EPAS1). The study opens up avenues for further exploring the relationship between cellular stress, such as hypoxia, and the enhancement of pluripotency in cells. Yuki Hasegawa of CLST, who led the study, says, "Among the differentially expressed genes, we found out that the most significantly differentially expressed ones were those related to hypoxic responses, and hypoxia is known to be important in the progression of tumors and the maintenance of pluripotency. These results could potentially contribute to greater consistency of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are important both for regenerative medicine and for research into diseases processes."

As a way to apply CCL2 towards the culturing of human iPSCs with more consistent quality, the researchers developed dishes coated with CCL2 and LIF protein beads. This allowed stem cells to be cultured in a feeder-free condition, preventing the risk that viruses or other contaminants could be transmitted to the stem cells. While the exact mechanisms of how CCL2 enhances pluripotency has yet to be elucidated, this work highlights the usefulness of CCL2 in stem cell culture.

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The above story is based on materials provided by RIKEN. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Pushing cells towards a higher pluripotency state

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

19-Jun-2014

Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in developed countries, and there is an urgent need for more clinically effective treatments. A study published by Cell Press June 19th in Stem Cell Reports reveals that simultaneous transplantation of neural and vascular progenitor cells can reduce stroke-related brain damage and improve behavioral recovery in rodents. The stem cell-based approach could represent a promising strategy for the treatment of stroke in humans.

"Our findings suggest that early cotransplantation treatment can not only replace lost cells, but also prevent further deterioration of the injured brain following ischemic stroke," says senior study author Wei-Qiang Gao of Shanghai Jiaotong University. "With the development of human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell technology, we are optimistic about the potential translation of our research into clinical use."

The most common kind of stroke, known as ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. Although a medicine called tissue plasminogen activator can break up blood clots in the brain, it must be given soon after the start of symptoms to work, and there are no other clinically effective treatments currently available for this condition. Stem cell transplantation represents a promising therapeutic strategy, but transplantation of either neural progenitor cells or vascular cells has shown restricted therapeutic effectiveness.

In the new study, Gao teamed up with colleagues at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, including Jia Li, Yaohui Tang, and Guo-Yuan Yang, to test whether cotransplantation of both neural and vascular precursor cells would lead to better outcomes. They induced ischemic stroke in rats and then simultaneously injected neural and vascular progenitor cells from mice into the stroke-damaged rat brains 24 hours later. The transplanted precursor cells turned into all major types of vascular and brain cells, including mature, functional neurons. The resulting vascular cells developed into microvessels, while the grafted neural cells produced molecules known to stimulate the growth of both neurons and vessels.

"This is the first study to use embryonic stem cell-derived vascular progenitor cells together with neural progenitor cells to treat ischemic stroke," Gao says. "These two types of progenitors generate nearly all types of brain cells, including endothelial cells, pericytes/smooth muscle cells, neurons, and astrocytes, resulting in better restoration of neurovascular units and better replacement of the lost cells in the stroke model. A previously reported cotransplantation approach published in the journal Stem Cells in 2009 (doi: 10.1002/stem.161) was limited because it did not use vascular precursor cells capable of turning into all major types of vascular cells important for recovery. Our findings here suggest that cotransplantation of the two types of cells that restore the neurovascular unit more effectively is a better approach for the treatment of ischemic stroke."

Two weeks after stroke, rats that had undergone cotransplantation showed less brain damage and improved behavioral performance on motor tasks compared with rats that had been treated with neural progenitor cells alone. "Our findings suggest that cotransplantation of neural and vascular cells is much more effective than transplantation of one cell type alone because these two cell types mutually support each other to promote recovery after stroke," Gao says.

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Stem cell-based transplantation approach improves recovery from stroke

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

12-Jun-2014

Contact: Hannah Postles h.postles@sheffield.ac.uk 01-142-221-046 University of Sheffield

A time-lapse study of human embryonic stems cells has identified bottlenecks restricting the formation of colonies, a discovery that could lead to improvement in their use in regenerative medicine.

Biologists at the University of Sheffield's Centre for Stem Cell Biology led by Professor Peter Andrews and engineers in the Complex Systems and Signal Processing Group led by Professor Daniel Coca studied human pluripotent stem cells, which are a potential source of cells for regenerative medicine because they have the ability to produce any cell type in the body.

However, using these stem cells in therapies is currently hampered by the fact they can acquire genetic changes during prolonged culture which are non-random and resemble mutations in cancer cells.

Researchers used time-lapse imaging of single human embryonic stem cells to identify aspects of their behaviour that restrict growth and would be targets for mutations that allow cells to grow more efficiently.

Dr Ivana Barbaric, from the University of Sheffield's Department of Biomedical Science, said: "We study pluripotent stem cells, which have huge potential for use in regenerative medicine due to their ability to become any cell in the human body. A pre-requisite for this is maintaining large numbers of undifferentiated cells in culture. However, there are several obstacles such as cells tend to die extensively during culturing and they can mutate spontaneously. Some of these genetic mutations are known to provide stem cells with superior growth, allowing them to overtake the culture a phenomenon termed culture adaptation, which mimics the behaviour of cancer cells.

"In order for pluripotent stem cells to be used safely in regenerative medicine we need to understand how suboptimal culture conditions, for example culturing cells at low split ratios, affect the cells and can lead to culture adaptation."

The team's research combined the use of time-lapse microscopy, single-cell tracking and mathematical modelling to characterise bottlenecks affecting the survival of normal human embryonic stem cells and compared them with adapted cells.

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Time-lapse study reveals bottlenecks in stem cell expansion

Find the Cells, Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansion Part 1 of 3
Dr. Colleen Delaney #39;s team at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center takes a cup of blood from a donated umbilical cord and over a fourteen day period expands the stem cells in that unit...

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Find the Cells, Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansion Part 1 of 3 - Video

Share the Cells, Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansion Part 3 of 3
Dr. Colleen Delaney #39;s team at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center takes a cup of blood from a donated umbilical cord and over a fourteen day period expands the stem cells in that unit...

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Share the Cells, Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansion Part 3 of 3 - Video

Count the Cells, Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansion Part 2 of 3
Dr. Colleen Delaney #39;s team at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center takes a cup of blood from a donated umbilical cord and over a fourteen day period expands the stem cells in that unit...

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Count the Cells, Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansion Part 2 of 3 - Video

3 - day fast might reboot your immune system
An article published in the journal Cell Stem Cell by scientists at the University of Southern California who say fasting for just 3 days can regenerate your...

By: Mag Ruxa

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Dr. Omar Gonzalez presents Best Stem Cell Therapy in Mexico: Integrative Medicine Clinic
http://www.placidway.com/profile/705/ - Watch this Video as Dr.Omar Gonzalez, MD, specialist in Stem Cell Therapy, Integrative Medicine and Chronic Diseases, presents his new clinic located...

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Dr. Omar Gonzalez presents Best Stem Cell Therapy in Mexico: Integrative Medicine Clinic - Video

Dr Sharad Kapoor explaining the Advances of Stem Cells
Dr Sharad Kapoor #39;s detailed explanation on the Advances of Stem Cells Stemade Biotech.

By: StemadeBiotech

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Dr Sharad Kapoor explaining the Advances of Stem Cells - Video

Dr. Omar Gonzalez presents his Integrative Medicine Clinic in Mexico
http://www.placidway.com/profile/705/ - Watch this Video as Dr.Omar Gonzalez, MD, specialist in Stem Cell Therapy, Integrative Medicine and Chronic Diseases, presents his new clinic located...

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Dr. Omar Gonzalez presents his Integrative Medicine Clinic in Mexico - Video

Dr Bindiya Bansal on Dental Stem Cells
Dr Bindiya Bansal explaining the importance of Dental Stem Cells preservation.

By: StemadeBiotech

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Dr Bindiya Bansal on Dental Stem Cells - Video

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

9-Jun-2014

Contact: Lucia Lee NewsMedia@mssm.edu 212-241-9200 The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine

(New York June 9, 2014) -- A protein may be the key to maintaining the health of aging blood stem cells, according to work by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently published online in Stem Cell Reports. Human adults keep stem cell pools on hand in key tissues, including the blood. These stem cells can become replacement cells for those lost to wear and tear. But as the blood stem cells age, their ability to regenerate blood declines, potentially contributing to anemia and the risk of cancers like acute myeloid leukemia and immune deficiency. Whether this age-related decline in stem cell health is at the root of overall aging is unclear.

The new Mount Sinai study reveals how loss of a protein called Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) affects the ability of blood stem cells to regenerate normally, at least in mouse models of human disease. This study has shown that young blood stem cells that lack SIRT1 behave like old ones. With use of advanced mouse models, she and her team found that blood stem cells without adequate SIRT1 resembled aged and defective stem cells, which are thought to be linked to development of malignancies.

"Our data shows that SIRT1 is a protein that is required to maintain the health of blood stem cells and supports the possibility that reduced function of this protein with age may compromise healthy aging," says Saghi Ghaffari, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Developmental and Regenerative Biology at Mount Sinai's Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine. "Further studies in the laboratory could improve are understanding between aging stem cells and disease."

Next for the team, which includes Pauline Rimmel, PhD, is to investigate whether or not increasing SIRT1 levels in blood stem cells protects them from unhealthy aging or rejuvenates old blood stem cells. The investigators also plan to look at whether SIRT1 therapy could treat diseases already linked to aging, faulty blood stem cells.

They also believe that SIRT1 might be important to maintaining the health of other types of stem cells in the body, which may be linked to overall aging.

The notion that SIRT1 is a powerful regulator of aging has been highly debated, but its connection to the health of blood stem cells "is now clear," says Dr. Ghaffari. "Identifying regulators of stem cell aging is of major significance for public health because of their potential power to promote healthy aging and provide targets to combat diseases of aging," Dr. Ghaffari says.

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Mount Sinai researchers identify protein that keeps blood stem cells healthy as they age

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

9-Jun-2014

Contact: Kimberly Brown kbrown@snmmi.org 703-652-6773 Society of Nuclear Medicine

St. Louis, Mo. (June 9, 2014) Researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting revealed how a protein encourages the production of stem cells that regenerate damaged tissues of the heart following an acute attack (myocardial infarction). They further assert that it has a better chance of working if provided early in treatment. This was confirmed by molecular imaging, which captured patients' improved heart health after therapy.

If given after a heart attack, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilizes bone marrow stem cells that turn down the collateral damage of cell death that occurs after acute myocardial infarction. Other research has shown G-CSF having a beneficial impact on left ventricle ejection fraction, a measurement of how powerfully the heart is pumping oxygenated blood back into the aorta and the rest of the body with each beat. The objective of this study was to find out how beneficial the stem cellstimulating therapy would be if administered early during standard treatment. Early prescription of G-CSF happens to strengthen its effect immediately and after follow up.

"Previous studies have shown that giving G-CSF to unselected heart attack patients failed to satisfactorily improve their condition, but G-CSF may potentially be beneficial if given earlier than 37 hours following myocardial infarction and coronary intervention," remarked Takuji Toyama, MD, the study's principal researcher from the division of cardiology at Gunma Prefectural Cardiovascular Center in Maebashi, Japan. "This study shows that the first intravenous drip infusion of G-CSF during treatment just after hospitalization was able to rescue our patients. I am confident that with additional data from a forthcoming clinical trial, this protocol can be adopted as a standard of practice."

For this study, 40 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction were given either G-CSF therapy or saline intravenously for a total of five days beginning during a selected minimally invasive treatment, otherwise known as percutaneous cardiac intervention. Results of one year's worth of SPECT stress tests nailed how earlier start of G-CSF therapy in heart attack patients improves blood flow, access to essential energy and overall cardiac function.

Coronary heart disease caused one out of every six fatalities in the U.S. in 2010, according to 2014 statistics from the American Heart Association. An estimated 620,000 Americans suffered a first heart attack, and 295,000 had a recurrent episode. Collectively, heart attacks occur about once every 34 seconds. Coronary events cause about 379,559 deaths each year.

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Scientific Paper 239: Takuji Toyama, Hiroshi Hoshizaki, Hakuken Kan, Ren Kawaguchi, Hitoshi Adachi, Shigeru Ohsima, Division of Cardiology, Gunma Prefectural Cardiovascular Center, Maebashi, Japan; Masahiko Kurabayashi, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan, "Is the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy in the earliest phase effective to rescue patients with acute myocardial infarction?" SNMMI's 61th Annual Meeting, June 7, 2014, St. Louis, Missouri.

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Stem cell-stimulating therapy saves heart attack patients

DUBLIN, June 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/v969qd/cell_separation) has announced the addition of the "Cell Separation Technologies Market- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019" report to their offering.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769

This report consists of the market analysis for the various technologies used in the cell separation market. Increasing cell therapy oriented research and development globally is driving the cell separation technologies market towards significant growth. The stakeholders for this report include providers and manufacturers of cell separation technology instruments.

The cell separation technologies market is segmented on the basis of technologies that are available in the market and application areas of cell separation technologies. The various technology segments covered in this report are gradient centrifugation and separation based on surface markers. Separation based on surface markers technology include two different techniques namely, magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS).

The application areas of cell separation technologies comprise stem cell research, immunology, neuroscience research and cancer research. Revenue forecast and market analysis for each segment has been given in this study for the period of 2011 to 2019 in terms of USD million in addition to the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each segment of technology and application. The CAGR is provided for forecast period of 2013 to 2019 and 2012 have been considered as base in year for market size estimation.

Geographically, global cell separation technologies market has been segmented into four areas namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). This report also provides the present and future market estimation in terms of USD million for the period 2011 to 2019, in addition to compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each geographic area. Further to market size estimation, this report provides recommendations and highlights of the market that should be useful for current and new market players to grow and sustain in the global cell separation technologies market.

Market trends and dynamics such as restraints, opportunities and growth drivers that have impact on present and future position of this market are demonstrated in the market overview chapter of this study. In addition, the market overview chapter also consists of Porter's five forces analysis and market attractiveness by geography to give detailed analysis of the entire competitive status of the global cell separation technologies market.

Key information about the top market players operating in the global cell separation technologies market is given in the company profiles section of this report. Some of the key players profiled in this report include BD Bioscience, EMD Millipore, Mitenyi Biotec GmbH, and STEMCELL Technologies, Terumo BCT, pluriSelect GmbH, and Life Technologies (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.).

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1 Introduction

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Cell Separation Technologies Market- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019

Stem Cells Cerebral Palsy: The Promise The Progress
The possibility that stem cells could one day treat cerebral palsy (CP) and many other conditions has captured our imagination. But what is actually involved...

By: Cerebral Palsy Alliance

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Stem Cells & Cerebral Palsy: The Promise & The Progress - Video

Patient Testimonial: Stem cell therapy for COPD Treatment in SERBIA
http://www.placidway.com/profile/1617/ - Marko was treated for COPD with Stem Cell Therapy in Swiss Medica #39;s Serbian Clinic. How the treatment effectiveness ...

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Patient Testimonial: Stem cell therapy for COPD Treatment in SERBIA - Video

Successful Fetal Stem Cell Therapy in Kyiv, Ukraine at EmCell via PlacidWay
Watch Daniel #39;s testimonial after undergoing successful Fetal Stem Cell Therapy at EmCell in Kyiv, Ukraine.

By: placidways

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Successful Fetal Stem Cell Therapy in Kyiv, Ukraine at EmCell via PlacidWay - Video

La Jolla, CA (PRWEB) June 17, 2014

StemGenex, the leading resource for adult adipose stem cell therapy in the US aimed at improving the lives of patients dealing with degenerative diseases, today announced their newest clinical study for Multiple Sclerosis. StemGenex believes that a commitment to the safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy are paramount when providing care to patients with life threatening diseases.

This clinical study is bringing to the field a new, unique type of stem cell therapy that has the possibility of being more effective than other stem cell treatments currently available. Patients who receive stem cell treatment through StemGenex for Multiple Sclerosis will receive StemGenex multiple administration protocol. This consists of four targeted administration methods of the stem cells to deliver the necessary amount of stem cells past the blood brain barrier.

Principal Investigator Dr. Jeremiah McDole, Ph.D. stated, "Currently available drugs for multiple sclerosis do not halt disease progression or aid in the repair of established damage. We strive to provide regenerative medicine applications that address this critical, underlying issue. While patients experience positive clinical outcomes as a result of stem cell treatment, large, rigorously performed studies are desired in order to guide our best efforts for future development. The study we are conducting is designed to provide us with this essential data."

This study is registered through The National Institutes of Health which can be found at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov and is being conducted under IRB approval. According to StemGenex Director of Patient Advocacy, Joe Perricone, It is important patients have access to top-tier stem cell treatment. By providing access to registered clinical studies through The National Institutes of Health, we are providing patients with the ability to choose a stem cell treatment center with the highest standard of care.

Rita Alexander, founder and president of StemGenex, stated, This is the first of many stem cell clinical studies to come and a positive step for the more than 2 million people around the world suffering with Multiple Sclerosis. The average lifetime cost of current standard of care treatment per MS patient is $1.2 million. The human cost of the disease including pain and suffering endured by MS patients, the profound impact on families and the loss of their ability to contribute to society is without question immeasurable. Dr. McDoles research background in neuroimmunology is certainly an asset in our effort to change the course of neurological diseases.

Stem cell treatment studies are currently being offered by StemGenex to patients diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and other degenerative neurological diseases. StemGenex takes a unique approach of compassion and empowerment while providing access to the latest stem cell therapies for degenerative neurological diseases including Parkinsons and Alzheimers disease, stroke recovery and others.

To find out more about stem cell therapy, contact StemGenex either by phone at (800) 609-7795 or email Contact(at)stemgenex(dot)com

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StemGenex Announces New Stem Cell Clinical Study for Multiple Sclerosis

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) June 19, 2014

Located in Tampa, FL, Lung Institute was instrumental in allowing Robert Ware get his life back. Three months ago, Robert decided to take his health into his own hands and move ahead with stem cell treatment. Hundreds of people with lung disease have been treated with the companys innovative use of stem cells from the patients own body.

Stem cell therapy is a viable option for many people with lung disease, said Dr. Burton Feinerman, Medical Director of the Lung Institute. Our patients are breathing easier, walking further, and depending less on supplemental oxygen.

For Robert, 71, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was taking over his life. Over the past decade, this progressive lung disease diminished his quality of life and forced him away from the activities he used to love. Robert was unable to be outdoors, attend live music shows in the town squares and work on his yard and landscaping. A few months ago, Robert had a health scare that he thought was a heart attack. He was actually experiencing lung spasms and not receiving enough oxygen, often referred to as a COPD exacerbation.

COPD is not only the third leading cause of death in the United States, but is responsible for severely limiting sufferers quality of life. People with COPD often cant even walk to their mailbox without debilitating shortness of breath. For people without COPD, it is akin to breathing through a small straw while carrying out normal activities.

In Roberts case, his exacerbation caused him to look for alternatives to the traditional medications he had been taking. Robert and his wife decided stem cell therapy at the Lung Institute was the best option for him. Robert received autologous stem cell therapy, meaning stem cells from his own body were used to help cue natural healing processes for damaged lung tissue. After the minimally invasive, outpatient procedure, Robert returned home and was able to regain a substantial amount of his quality of life.

Before treatment, I was pretty much on oxygen all the time, said Robert. I couldnt do much without my oxygen. Today, Im doing just about anything I want to do.

Now, Robert no longer needs to pay someone to take care of his lawn. Robert is able to be outdoors, mow the grass, work around the house and go out with friends.

People are just amazed how well Im doing. Im probably 75% to what I was originally, 10 years ago, added Robert. I started getting better fast and my friends couldnt believe it. They were shocked. It was kind of funfeeling good, rather than being sick.

About Lung Institute At Lung Institute (LI), we are changing the lives of hundreds of people across the nation through the innovative technology of regenerative medicine. We are committed to providing patients a more effective way to address pulmonary conditions and improve quality of life. Our physicians, through their designated practices, have gained worldwide recognition for the successful application of revolutionary minimally invasive stem cell therapies. With over a century of combined medical experience, our doctors have established a patient experience designed with the highest concern for patient safety and quality of care. For more information, visit our website at LungInstitute.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or call us today at 1-855-469-5864.

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Lung Institute Instrumental in Allowing Robert Ware to Get His Life Back

Knee and shoulder arthritis/torn rotator cuffs 16 months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson
Mike discusses his results 16 months after stem cell therapy for his arthritic knees and shoulders and torn rotator cuffs by Dr Harry Adelson at http://www.docerecl...

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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Knee and shoulder arthritis/torn rotator cuffs 16 months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson - Video