The Regeneration Promise: The Facts behind Stem Cell Therapies

126 Pages·2020·7.077 MB·English

by  Peter Hollands

Medicine Demystified
(Volume 1)
The Regeneration Promise: The
Facts behind Stem Cell Therapies
Authored By
Professor Peter Hollands
Freelance Consultant Clinical Scientist
Huntingdon, Cambs PE261LB
UK
Medicine Demystified
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Author: Peter Hollands
ISBN (Online): 978-981-14-8213-7
ISBN (Print): 978-981-14-8211-3
ISBN (Paperback): 978-981-14-8212-0
© 2020, Bentham Books imprint.
Published by Bentham Science Publishers Pte. Ltd. Singapore. All Rights Reserved.
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CONTENTS
PREFACE ................................................................................................................... i
CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION ................................................................... ii
CONFLICT OF INTEREST ............................................................................ ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................. ii
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................ iv
CHAPTER 1 A BIT OF HISTORY ....................................................................... 1
INTERESTING TIMES ................................................................................... 1
STEM CELLS ARE EVERYWHERE! .......................................................... 2
Bone Marrow Stem Cells .......................................................................... 2
Back Again to 1956 ................................................................................... 3
Tissue Typing or ‘Tissue Matching’ ......................................................... 3
From Embryos to Stem Cells ..................................................................... 4
From Mouse to Man? ................................................................................ 5
More Mouse Embryos! .............................................................................. 6
Stem Cells in The Blood ............................................................................ 7
Cord Blood Stem Cells .............................................................................. 8
Cord Blood Transfusion ............................................................................ 8
Human Embryonic Stem Cells .................................................................. 9
Adult or Fetal Stem Cells? ......................................................................... 10
Umbilical Cord Tissue and Placental Tissue Stem Cells .......................... 10
Fat Stem Cells! .......................................................................................... 12
The Tooth Fairy and Stem Cells ................................................................ 12
‘Man Made’ Stem Cells ............................................................................. 13
INITIAL CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................... 14
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................... 14
CHAPTER 2 BLOOD AND TOIL ......................................................................... 16
‘BLOOD FORMING’ STEM CELLS ............................................................ 16
Bone Marrow Transplantation ................................................................... 18
Haploidentical Transplantation .................................................................. 19
Find the Match ........................................................................................... 19
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Banks ................................................................. 19
Preparation for Transplant ......................................................................... 20
Transplant Time ......................................................................................... 20
Recovery .................................................................................................... 20
It’s Not Easy! ............................................................................................. 21
‘TISSUE FORMING’ STEM CELLS IN BONE MARROW ....................... 21
Clinical Trials ............................................................................................ 21
Four Phases ..................................................................................... 22
BONE MARROW STEM CELLS AND HEART ATTACK ........................ 23
BONE MARROW STEM CELLS AND AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE ......... 24
THE RIGHT STEM CELL AND A HOLISTIC APPROACH .................... 25
BONE MARROW STEM CELLS AND OSTEOARTHRITIS .................... 26
Clinical Trials ............................................................................................ 27
BONE MARROW AND OTHER DISEASES ................................................ 27
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................... 28
CHAPTER 3 A BOUNCING BABY! ..................................................................... 30
CORD BLOOD STEM CELLS ....................................................................... 30
Cord Blood Stem Cell Collection Process ................................................. 30
Cord Blood Stem Cell Storage Options ..................................................... 31
Cord Blood Laboratory Processing ........................................................... 32
Cord Blood Stem Cells Pros and Cons ...................................................... 33
Cord Blood Stem Cell Double Transplants and Expansion ...................... 34
Quality not Quantity .................................................................................. 35
Cord Blood Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Cerebral Palsy ........................... 35
Cord Blood Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Autism ....................................... 36
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 3 ...................................................................... 37
CHAPTER 4 BABY BLUES ................................................................................... 38
CHOICES ........................................................................................................... 38
Public and Private Cord Blood Banks ....................................................... 39
The Development of Private Cord Blood Banking ................................... 40
The Development of Public Cord Blood Banking ..................................... 41
Public or Private Cord Blood Storage? ...................................................... 42
Cord Blood Guidance ................................................................................ 43
Whole or Processed? ................................................................................. 46
More Questions .......................................................................................... 46
To Clamp or Not to Clamp? That is the Question… ................................. 49
The UK Royal Colleges ............................................................................. 49
Umbilical Cord Blood Plasma ................................................................... 50
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 4 ...................................................................... 51
CHAPTER 5 THAT'S A NICE VEIN .................................................................... 52
PERIPHERAL BLOOD STEM CELLS ......................................................... 52
Potential Problems ..................................................................................... 54
Improved Mobilisation Technology .......................................................... 55
Clinical Trials Using Peripheral Blood Stem Cells ................................... 55
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 5 ...................................................................... 56
CHAPTER 6 THE VATICAN AND MORE ......................................................... 57
A COMPLEX DEBATE ................................................................................... 57
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Production ................................................. 58
The Human Embryo .................................................................................. 58
Is There an Elephant in The Room? .......................................................... 60
Clinical Trials ............................................................................................ 60
A FINAL NOTE OF OPTIMISM! .................................................................. 60
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 6 ...................................................................... 61
CHAPTER 7 NO ONE LIKES THE DENTIST ................................................... 62
OFF TO SEE THE DENTIST .......................................................................... 62
Milk and Adult Teeth ................................................................................ 62
Milk Teeth Collection ................................................................................ 62
Stem Cells from Adult Teeth ..................................................................... 63
Are There Enough Stem Cells? ................................................................. 64
Tooth Implants ........................................................................................... 64
Clinical Trial .............................................................................................. 65
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 7 ...................................................................... 65
CHAPTER 8 WHO ARE YOU CALLING FAT? ................................................ 67
FAT: GOOD OR BAD? .................................................................................... 67
Liposuction ................................................................................................ 68
Processing of Fat Stem Cells Using Enzymes ........................................... 68
Processing of Fat Stem Cells Using A Mechanical Approach .................. 68
Caution is Needed ...................................................................................... 69
Clinical Trials and ‘Freeze Young’ ........................................................... 69
Fat Stem Cells and Osteoarthritis .............................................................. 70
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 8 ...................................................................... 71
CHAPTER 9 A HUMAN TOUCH ......................................................................... 72
MAN-MADE ...................................................................................................... 72
Good or Bad? ............................................................................................. 73
Organoids ................................................................................................... 74
Clinical Trials ............................................................................................ 74
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 9 ...................................................................... 75
CHAPTER 10 BABY IS BACK! ............................................................................ 76
STEM CELLS IN TISSUES RELATED TO PREGNANCY ....................... 76
Umbilical Cord Tissue ............................................................................... 76
Clinical Trials of Cord Tissue Stem Cells ................................................. 78
Placenta Stem Cells ................................................................................... 78
Amniotic Membrane and Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells ............................... 80
Clinical Trials of Amniotic Membrane Stem Cells ................................... 80
Research and Clinical Trial of Amniotic Membrane Stem Cells .............. 80
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 10 .................................................................... 81
CHAPTER 11 KILL OR CURE? ........................................................................... 82
STEM CELL TREATMENTS (CAVEAT EMPTOR: BUYER BEWARE) 82
The Regeneration Promise ......................................................................... 82
Human Use ................................................................................................ 87
Using Your Own Stem Cells ..................................................................... 88
Celebrity Endorsement .............................................................................. 88
There is Hope ............................................................................................. 89
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 11 .................................................................... 89
CHAPTER 12 A FINAL THOUGHT .................................................................... 90
SOME THINGS WORK SOME THINGS DO NOT .................................... 90
Cord Blood Transfusion ............................................................................ 91
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) ....................................................................... 93
Very Small Embryonic Like Stem Cells and Laser Technology ............... 93
Cell Reprogramming ................................................................................. 95
Exosomes ................................................................................................... 96
Quantum Medicine .................................................................................... 96
Nanotechnology ......................................................................................... 97
3D Printing ................................................................................................ 98
Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells ....................................................................... 99
Liver Stem Cells ........................................................................................ 99
Recent Progress in Stem Cell Therapy of Heart Disease .......................... 100
Anti-Ageing ............................................................................................... 100
A Final Thought ......................................................................................... 101
KEY POINTS OF CHAPTER 12 .................................................................... 102
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING ............................................................ 102
USEFUL LINKS ................................................................................................ 102
GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................ 104
SUBJECT INDEX ....................................................................................................... 106
i
PREFACE
The aim of this book is to bring a clear understanding and appreciation of stem cell
technology and the related subject of regenerative medicine to everyone and especially to
those people considering paying for stem cell therapy or stem cell related services. It avoids
complex scientific terminology (or it is clearly and simply defined where needed) and
develops ideas in a coherent and understandable fashion for the general reader.
The subject of stem cell technology and the related possible regenerative medicine procedures
is an area of science and medicine where there is much confusion, often supported by
unproven claims. There are currently many clinics offering stem cell ‘treatments’ which are
driven by profit with no concern for the safety or well-being of the patient. There are untested
and unproven stem cell based ‘treatments’ being offered to vulnerable patients around the
globe and these are often sold at a very high price. If these ‘treatments’ were offered free of
charge, it would still be scandalous behaviour by those offering such treatments because the
‘treatments’ are untested and unproven and could even pose a health risk to vulnerable, often
terminally or acutely ill recipient patients.
The general public, who are the people most likely to consider, or to be offered stem cell-
based therapies, in most instances often have little or no understanding of stem cell
technology and put their trust in ‘clinic’ salesmen.
This is not the fault of the patients, it is the fault of those people who wish to draw such
patients into a web of deceit.
The salesmen who represent the clinics often have no knowledge or formal training in stem
cell technology at all and are all driven by profit. The result of this is that vulnerable patients,
who may be suffering from life threatening or life changing diseases, are drawn into costly
stem cell procedures which are at best unproven and could sometimes even be damaging
rather than beneficial to their health. This must stop. This book will give everyone the
knowledge to assess and reject such ‘treatments’ if they are inappropriate. Patients must be
prepared to walk away if they have any doubts about the safety and efficacy of any proposed
treatment and if a treatment does commence, it must always be under informed consent.
It is not just the general public and potential patients who need stem cell information. Many
practising physicians have had little or no stem cell training in medical school, most
journalists have no knowledge at all in the subject and politicians make life changing
decisions on the use and availability of stem cell technology often based on a very poor level
of understanding. The book will also be a useful resource to students both in school and
University who want to begin their understanding of stem cell technology and become the
stem cell pioneers of the future. Thorough training of our future physicians, scientists and
businessmen in stem cell concepts will help resolve the problems we currently have in the
clinical application of stem cell technology. The problem which we see today in stem cell
technology, and the related regenerative medicine, is considerably magnified by the patient’s
vulnerability, confusion, fear and blind trust in an atmosphere where the unwary can lose not
only lots of money but also potentially their health.
The Regeneration Promise offers truly new and thorough insight into stem cell technology
and it is written in a style that anyone can easily understand. There is no complex terminology
(except where absolutely needed and if the terminology is used then it is carefully explained)
and the stem cell concepts are described in a simple and accessible style that can be enjoyed