By Dr. Carlos Téllez Osorio
Stem cells are part of the human organism, but unlike other cells that make up our organs or tissues, their number is small and they are not differentiated. In other words, stem cells do not have a definitive structure or function.
These cells reside in localized areas of the body surrounded by other cells that protect them and provide a suitable environment so that they remain dormant most of the time. They only become active when needed to regenerate an organ or tissue damaged by trauma, disease, or advanced age.
Stem cells detect signals from their environment through a precise mechanism involving molecules with specific activities—the structures present on the surface of various cells and small subcellular organizations known as exosomes and extracellular vesicles. This microenvironment is called the cellular niche, and it displays an extremely interesting flexibility to adjust to whatever activities are required.
These descriptive characteristics of stem cells explain, at least in part, their involvement in regenerative medicine. This emerging field is already professionally recognized. The field is in full development and undergoing clinical studies to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of various medical applications to improve patients’ quality of life.
Stem cells can be extracted from various sources in our body (for autologous stem-cell transplantation) such as bone marrow, abdominal fat tissue, and menstrual blood. In all these cases, the aim is to isolate mesenchymal stem cells, i.e., cells with multipotent properties. This means that in addition to producing more stem cells when dividing, they can produce other types of cells with even greater potential, typically those that form cartilage, bone, and adipose cells
In Mexico, Stem Cell Banks must have a Sanitary License issued by the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS, for the acronym in Mexico) to be authorized for extraction, reproduction, and storage (in ultra-freezing) services. Only accredited facilities can provide services to medical specialties that use regenerative medicine for patient therapies.
Sometimes mesenchymal stem cells cannot be extracted from the patients themselves to be reproduced in cell banks and applied under clinical quality standards. For these cases, cells that come from the perinatal tissues of suitable qualified donors—especially from «Wharton’s jelly» which is found in umbilical tissue (for heterologous transplantation)—can be extracted, reproduced, preserved, and certified.
Some stem cell applications use intravenous application via the bloodstream to reach sites where cell regeneration is required. Other uses include localized applications for areas that support intra-articular or subdermal use as well as specialized applications, such as intrathecal, primarily to stimulate activity of our own stem cells.
Chronic degenerative diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, are naturally the therapeutic targets of mesenchymal stem cell administration. Other medical fields, including highly specialized ones, have also benefited from the advances in regenerative medicine.
Surgery and cosmetic treatments are another promising area for the application of mesenchymal stem cells. These are aimed toward reducing the use of low-quality chemical substances that could jeopardize the patient’s health or have adverse effects over time due to their high toxicity.
Based on the above, a therapeutic application of mesenchymal stem cells does not happen overnight. The niche where stem cells reside must be previously conditioned in order to support therapy with living cells (an essential condition to demonstrate their regenerative capacity) that have been reproduced under controlled conditions. In other words, the organism that receives stem cells will obtain greater benefits to the degree that it has been supported by a physical conditioning program, healthy diet, and nutritional supplements with proven effectiveness.
This is the holistic approach taken by The Clinic Health Services. An approach different from others in regenerative medicine, both in Mexico and internationally, that recklessly market their services without regard to quality or scientific or bioethical guidelines.
Dr. Carlos Téllez Osorio
Stem Cell Bank GRP 18
The Clinic Health Services, San Miguel de Allende
