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Stem Cell Strategy to Spinal Cord Injuries: The New Frontier

Knee Stem Cells - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that happen to any level of the vertebrae. Although the hard bones of the spinal column protect the soft tissues with the spinal cord, vertebrae can nevertheless be broken or dislocated in a number of ways and cause traumatic injury to the spinal cord. Spinal-cord injuries vary in their severity, but almost inevitably result in various forms of compromised functionality because the spinal cord is in effect the primary pathway for information to visit around the human body. Precisely what body functions are impaired by the injury will depend on the area of the spine which has been damaged and the extent that the spine may be affected. Although serious impacts for example falls and motor vehicle accidents account for many spinal-cord injuries, tumors growing near the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and possess the same effects.

Knee Stem Cells - For years scientists have been trying to try and find a way to remedy the different ailments that vertebrae injuries can bring, but with limited success. However, lately a pioneering new technology has emerged that is helping many people around the world regain part, it not exclusively, of their previously lost mobility. That treatment is the use of stem cells.

Exactly what are Stem Cells and Stem Cell Treatments?

Knee Stem Cell Treatment - Stem cells are located in all multi cellular organisms and therefore are characterized by their ability to distinguish into a diverse selection of specialized cells once they divide and renew themselves. They're remarkable for their ability to regenerate themselves into just about any human cell. Their use in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, from Leukemia to Multiple Sclerosis, is now becoming more common. With respect to the condition, stem cells may be transplanted into the patient to aid renew and regenerate previously damaged cells, giving patients renewed hope when, before, no reliable treatment existed.

This principle has become being applied to treating spinal cord injuries using stem cells, plus instances where the patient has not yet experienced a complete spinal cord injury, i.e. a whole severing of the spinal-cord leading to a loss of function beneath the 'neurological' level. There has been great success in helping patients recover greater sensory and physiological ability.

Vertebrae Injury: How Stem Cell Treatment Works

If you find trauma to the vertebrae, myelopathy (damage to the fibres that carry messages to and from the brain) has occurred. These 'myelinated fibre tracts' would be the focus of stem cell treatment, and are the nerve cells the treatment helps to regenerate. The task usually follows three phases and usually requires no longer than the usual period of around five weeks in medical care for monitoring:

Phase one requires the harvesting of stem cells. The cells are extracted from a fetus's umbilical cord. They are then put through a process whereby they are isolated and purified prior to being finally cultured to be suitable for clinical use.

Phase two may be the transplantation of the stem cells. This is done in one of 3 ways:

1) Lumbar puncture - a process used where stem cells could be injected directly into the backbone.

2) Intravenous injection- stem cells are injected to the patient's vein.

3) Tissue injection - direct injection into target tissues.

Phase three involves the monitoring of the patient to ensure there are no adverse negative effects. The only side effects reported to date were caused by the lumbar puncture, and not the stem cell treatment itself, just 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. At that time under medical supervision, patients undergo various physiotherapy activities and other treatments as necessary.

Stem Cell Research and Treatment in China

China is fast-becoming a world leader in stem cell research, and it is now a major centre for that stem cell treating many diseases and types of conditions. The Chinese government has poured many millions of dollars into research on regenerative medicine, understanding that investment has really borne fruit within the last few years. As a result of this expanded investment, Chinese contributions to scientific journals on regenerative medicine topics leapt from 37 in 2000 to 1,116 in 2008, exceeded only through the contributions of experts in the USA, Germany, Japan and the UK.

The government in addition has aggressively recruited high-caliber scientists trained abroad in search of its ambition to become a world leader in the field. Indeed, the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health commented that, "the government's policy of attracting highly educated Chinese nationals returning to China has contributed significantly to the country's success inside the field." The authors were "amazed that almost all the top Chinese researchers in the regenerative medicine field ended up educated in the US and also the UK and gained extensive practical knowledge there in leading edge research."

Although before treatment in China could have been considered risky as a result of lax health and safety laws, recent times have seen an increase in legislation protecting the individual, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, evidence of safety and efficacy through clinical trials is required by China's Secretary of state for Health for all stem cell and gene therapies, making sure Chinese clinics meet international standards inside their qualifications and methodology. At the time of January 2010, about 1,500 patients had received botox cosmetic injections for spinal cord injury at one Beijing clinic alone, including roughly 1,000 foreigners.

In addition to this, China has long held a place at the forefront of stem cell research to take care of all manner of conditions. A few of China's notable contributions to stem cell research are:

By transferring the nucleus of your human skin cell into the immature ovum cell of a rabbit, researchers from the Shanghai hospital successfully produced embryonic human cells.
China thus far has created at least 25 human embryonic stem cell lines (some estimate over 70 stem cell lines), four of which are of a specialized type that during those times only two other groups worldwide had managed to create.
Harboured several human tissue types, created artificially, including blood vessel, tendon, bone, cartilage, skin, cornea and muscle fibre.
Furthermore, Chinese researchers are currently involved with a myriad of projects to aid aid patients through regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. Below are several projects underway within Chinese institutions:

ChinaSCINet, a consortium of 27 medical facilities, are beginning phase 2 many studies to test the efficacy and safety of employing cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to take care of about 40 patients with vertebrae injuries.
Clinical trials are underway on the use of stem cell therapies to take care of patients of cardiac arrest, artery obstruction, and liver and neural diseases.
Research is underway on the potential utilization of stem cells to treat heart, liver and blood diseases, eye cataracts, also to combat aging.
Successes from the Treatment of Spinal-cord Injuries in China

Many individuals of all ages and with varying examples of injury have received stem cell treatment in China during the last few years. It is important to keep in mind that not every patient will react as well as others, and that the age of the sufferer and the severity of the injury greatly affect the likelihood of recovery. However, there has been many success stories from both Chinese citizens and foreigners.

Before her treatment began in January 2006, Ms. Pai, 38, from Shenyang couldn't move her body beneath the injury site, and was unable to control her bowel movements. Within 8 months with the treatment she regained movement in the her legs, could bend her knees (although the toes of one foot remained as paralyzed) and was even in a position to walk with crutches.

Razvan Iordache, a Romanian citizen aged 30, travelled to China for several bouts of stem cell treatment following a major accident while diving into a river that left him paralyzed from your neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that doesn't only could he now use his arms almost normally, and might feel pain in many of his fingers, he could "even feel warm and cold" sensations. He went on to add the following: "Now I can control my urine for 10 minutes and the sensation both for urine and stool is much better. Generally, my physique is more powerful than before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 years old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury carrying out a fall in 2002. He underwent an operation to correct his not enough sensation in his lower body, however there was complications and Donald stayed in a worse state than before. Before arriving for treatment in China, he had been unable to walk unaided. Following the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald makes significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout nearly all of his abdomen, and also the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly crucial, the sensation on the bottom of his feet returned, helping him to walk without tripping. Most important to Donald was he regained control and strength in his left leg, allowing him simply to walk significant distances and stand for prolonged periods of time.

There are numerous more success stories from patients that have received this pioneering treatment to aid correct varying examples of spinal cord injury. However, it is usually important to remember that not all patients recover exactly the same functions in the same time period. A lot of hard work adopts the post treatment rehabilitation, plus it takes great drive, determination and ambition to allow the body to get back to more regular functionality. However, the job being done by scientists and clinics in China has shown time and again that stem cells hold a very important key to the future of helping people who have spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. Each month, more and more people are travelling to various cities around the country that offer different packages of treatment according to precisely what injury continues to be inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly recently, and continues to improve every month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to have suffered spinal cord injuries need will no longer feel theirs is really a lost cause. There is a very real chance the standard of living of any patient can be improved with little pain, little hospital time, along with a little motivation. The current evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries is the answer.