IVF, cancer myth and charlatans. Treat or mutilate stem cells? Stem cells: victory over diseases and prolongation of youth, myths and facts For which diseases are stem cell pills prescribed?

Scientists around the world call the 21st century the century of biomedicine. And this is understandable, because this area of ​​​​medicine is developing at an incredible speed. Not without reason, in recent years, scientists have received 7 Nobel Prizes for discoveries in the field of cellular technologies! And this is far from the limit, because the prospects for stem cell treatment today look absolutely limitless! But first things first.

History reference

Stem cells were discovered by Russian scientist Alexander Maksimov back in 1909. It was he who became the founder of regenerative medicine. However, the first transplantation of such cells was carried out much later, in the 70s of the last century. And although scientists are still arguing about the safety of using stem cells, by the beginning of the 21st century, 1,200 operations were performed in the world to transplant stem cells taken from the umbilical cord. In Russia, such methods of treatment were treated with caution for a long time, and therefore the first permitted operation was carried out only in 2010. Today in our country there are several clinics offering this method for the treatment of various diseases.

What are stem cells and why are they needed?

Stem cells are immature (undifferentiated) cells found in all multicellular organisms. A feature of such cells is their unique ability to divide, forming new stem cells, as well as to differentiate, that is, to turn into cells of certain organs and tissues. In fact, stem cells are a kind of reserve stock of our body, thanks to which the process of cell renewal is carried out.

The use of stem cells in the treatment of diseases is a real breakthrough in modern medicine. Today, there is reliable evidence that thanks to stem cells, cancer, atherosclerosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, autoimmune and allergic diseases, diabetes and endocrine disorders, spinal and brain injuries can be treated. Stem cells improve the condition of the skin, bones and cartilage, strengthen the immune system and increase potency. Moreover, today there is a positive practice of treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases with the help of these biological substances!

Moreover, stem cells allow you to get rid of a serious illness once and for all, which is much cheaper than trying to treat the disease with medicines year after year. And this fact has long been confirmed by patients who, using this method, got rid of rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma.

Moreover, with the help of these biological substances, infertility can now be successfully treated. Specialists create cells that temporarily suppress a woman's immune function, as a result of which the body does not reject the fetus. According to statistics, every second woman who decided on this method of dealing with infertility became pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful baby. As you can see, the scope of these amazing cells seems to be simply limitless!

The essence of the treatment

Of course, cell therapy is not a panacea for all ailments. Treatment with such cells has a number of contraindications and cannot be used without a balanced approach.

What is the essence of this method? It turns out that miracle cells have two important functions - they divide themselves and activate the reproduction of other cells in the body. The meaning of the treatment is that when they enter the diseased organ, the cells start the immune system and release bioactive substances that activate the affected organ's own stem cells to renew themselves. As a result of the replacement of old cells with new ones, the process of regeneration takes place, due to which the organ is gradually restored.

Varieties of stem cells

Medicine knows several types of miracle cells. These are fetal, embryonic, postnatal and many other immature cells. The most commonly used for treatment are hematopoietic (HSC) and mesenchymal cells (MSCs), which are obtained from the bone marrow, including the pelvic bones, ribs, as well as adipose tissue and some other tissues that have a good blood supply. The choice in favor of these cells was made for a reason. According to scientists, treatment with hematopoietic and mesenchymal cells is highly effective and safe, which means that there is no possibility that they mutate and provoke tumor development, which is quite possible with the introduction of fetal or embryonic cells.

But it's no secret that with age, the number of stem cells in the human body becomes less and less. For example, if an embryo has one cell per 10 thousand ordinary cells, then a 70-year-old person has one cell per 7-8 million. Thus, only 30 thousand mesenchymal cells are secreted into the blood of an adult every day. This is enough only to eliminate minor violations, but not enough to protect against serious illnesses or slow down the aging process.

However, stem cell therapy makes it possible to achieve the impossible. According to modern scientists, when stem cells are introduced into the body, the necessary “regenerative fund” is created, thanks to which a person recovers and gets rid of diseases. This use of stem cells by medical professionals is very similar to refueling a car. Doctors simply inject stem cells into a vein as if they “refuel” the body with high-quality fuel, thanks to which a person gets rid of diseases and lives longer!

On average, the treatment of diseases involves the introduction into the blood of about 1 million cells per 1 kg of weight. To fight severe pathologies, the patient should be injected with 2-3 million stem cells for every 1 kg of weight. According to doctors, this is a natural mechanism for the treatment of diseases, which will become the main method of therapy for almost all pathologies in the very near future.

Myths and reality

Despite the advances that biomedical specialists have made to date, distrust in this method of treating diseases is still high. Perhaps the reason for this is information periodically appearing in the media about famous personalities whose attempts to treat or rejuvenate the body ended sadly. Doctors in private clinics, licensed to treat with such cells, refer to these informational stuffing as "phony sensations", reasonably noting that the messages do not contain information about the method of treatment and the type of cells used. Experts from scientific state institutions resolutely refuse to comment on such rumors. Perhaps it is precisely because of the lack of complete information that society is torn by doubts about the safety of such treatment.

Nevertheless, people who agree to stem cell therapy are still called “guinea pigs” today. According to the head physician of one of the clinics providing such treatment, Yuri Kheifets: “It is simply incorrect to talk about our patients as guinea pigs. I am aware of the cases of allergy to this material, but it was not the cells that caused the allergy, but the nutrient medium that got into the cell culture. But I have not heard of a single case of death after the introduction of such cells!

Supported by a specialist and doctor of medical sciences, Professor Alexander Teplyashin. According to the scientist: “In Europe and the United States, they have already begun to realize all the benefits and effectiveness that stem cells carry. That is why our specialists, who have been involved in stem cell treatment for a long time, are extremely in demand in these countries. We still have a lack of confidence in this method of treatment, and this is very upsetting.”

Scientists draw attention to the fact that disputes regarding the benefits and harms of antibiotics have not yet subsided, but it is known what a catastrophe humanity would face if it were not for these medicines. The same thing happens with stem cells. However, experts note that not all stem cells are suitable for therapy.

Issue price

Another question haunts the townsfolk. It seems that cell therapy has been going on for a long time, the technology has been thoroughly studied, like mushrooms, new clinics that conduct stem cell treatment are growing. Why is therapy so expensive?

Experts answer that growing stem cells is a long-term and rather costly process. In addition, the state does not finance such projects, which is why they develop much more slowly.

It is true that progress is observed in this process. Today, in Russia, there are cell preparations, the cost of which is equal to the cost of traditional treatment. For example, an agent for combating arthrosis costs no more than a gel intended for injection into a diseased joint. In this case, the drug allows you to treat the joint, while the gel fights only with pain. However, all components for growing stem cells in our country are currently purchased in the United States.

If we talk about the cost of treatment in detail, then the data of various sources differ in many respects. For example, according to Moskovsky Komsomolets, stem cell therapy in Russia today fluctuates between $10,000–$12,000.

At the same time, the website of the Moscow clinic "Newest Medicine" states that the full cost of cell therapy or a course of revitalization will cost $30,000-32,000.

At the same time, a number of companies organizing stem cell treatment in Germany provide data according to which a full course of treatment will cost the patient $9,000–15,000.

TBILISI, Feb 19 - Sputnik. In the Middle Ages, alchemists were looking for an elixir of youth and health, doctors - a universal medicine that can heal a person and prolong his life. Modern scientists are confident that the key to healing people from serious illnesses has been found and it lies in stem cells that can give new life.

Sputnik spoke with Gocha Shatirishvili, medical director of the Geocord blood bank in Tbilisi, who told everything about miracle cells and advised not to lose the opportunity to keep your child's real, biological health insurance.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are young immature cells that exist in the human body from the day of conception to the last day of life, but the largest number of these unique cells is found in the cord blood of a newborn. Stem cells have the ability to self-renew.

“Cord blood is the biological residue that remains in the placenta after the birth of a child,” says Shatirishvili.

The chance to save stem cells to your child is given only once in a lifetime - during childbirth. Otherwise, both the umbilical cord and the placenta are destroyed. Stem cells can be stored for 10,000 to 30,000 years in liquid nitrogen at temperatures below -160°C.

"This is practically an immortal material under proper storage conditions," Shatirishvili said.

Cord blood banks are divided into private ones - they store the blood of those children whose parents have entered into an appropriate contract, and public banks-registries created on the basis of gratuitous donation.

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Any person who needs cord blood for treatment can apply to the register bank. However, the problem is that it can be very difficult to find the right blood, since it is necessary to match the main antigenic systems, otherwise foreign cells will cause a rejection reaction in the patient.

Scientists have tried to use cord blood stem cells as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation. The rejection reaction to cord blood is much lower.

“The first bone marrow transplant was performed in France in 1988 and they were able to save a patient who had a congenital fatal disease - Fanconi anemia. He is still alive and is a famous person in our field,” Shatirishvili said.

Today there are 25 million potential donors for bone marrow transplantation in the world, but for 30% of patients none of them can be a donor. That is why scientists began to apply the method of treatment with stem cells. With their help, doctors have managed to perform more than forty thousand cord blood transplants.

What diseases can be cured with stem cells?

Stem cell therapy has been successfully used in the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma and other severe hereditary diseases where traditional therapies are ineffective.

Cord blood transplantation has been successfully used in most types of leukemia, including lymphoma, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's, as well as in diseases of plasma cells, congenital anemia, severe combined immunodeficiency, congenital neutropenia, osteoporosis and many other serious diseases.

In the near future, stem cells will be used to treat stroke, myocardial infarction, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, muscle diseases, and liver failure. Stem cells can also have a positive effect during hearing loss.

This year, the results of a study by scientists who used stem cells in the treatment of children born with autism syndrome will become known.

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Blood bank laboratory in Tbilisi "Geocord"

It should be noted that stem cells can cure not only a brother or sister, but also parents, though not always.

“There are examples when a newborn saved his mother. A woman from Canada was diagnosed with leukemia during pregnancy, she could not find a donor, and doctors were able to save her mother with cord blood from a 31-week-old baby. She is alive after 15 years and feels great,” — he shared.

Today, scientists are also working on the reproduction of stem cells in incubators so that their use becomes reusable.

How much does it cost to store and collect stem cells in Georgia?

In order to collect, process, examine and store your child's umbilical cord blood, you need to pay 780 euros. Stem cell storage costs 100 euros per year. The blood bank has an interest-free installment plan.

Medicine of the future

According to Shatirishvili, scientists are creating so-called special maps that will make it possible to find out where which cell should be located.

“The so-called brain project, which is being studied by scientists all over the world, operates in a similar way. For example, if a certain part of the brain and its cells are damaged, scientists in a few decades will be able to create cells of the desired type from stem cells to restore the damaged area or even create a new one. organ. Today it is the realm of fantasy, but tomorrow it will become a reality," he said.

A few decades ago it was hard to imagine that doctors would be able to heal patients from leukemia, cerebral palsy or anemia, but today the impossible is already becoming possible.

Specialists have been studying stem cells for a long time, but it was not possible to create human embryonic stem cells by cloning for a long time. And therefore, the report of an international group of researchers led by Masahito Tachibana, published in the scientific journal Cell, provides another reason for a broad discussion.

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On the one hand, the result of the study can become a contribution to the development of regenerative medicine, which will allow using stem cells to cure diseases such as Parkinson's disease. But at the same time, a serious question arises: perhaps the employees of the Oregon Research University and their colleagues created the prerequisites for human cloning?

Researchers are reassured: a method that is effective for cloning stem cells (therapeutic cloning) is most likely not suitable for cloning humans (reproductive cloning). “Yes, breakthroughs in nuclear transfer regularly spark a big debate about the ethics of human cloning. But such cloning was not part of our tasks at all. And we do not think that the results obtained can help anyone in the reproductive cloning of humans,” says Shukhrat Mitalipov, who took part in the study.

The point is the peculiarity - or, more precisely, the fragility - of human eggs, which for a long time did not allow therapeutic cloning. But experiments with rhesus monkey eggs brought scientists closer to solving this problem and, finally, to creating instructions for using a method that is also effective for human eggs. Oddly enough, in particular, the instructions refer to the acceleration of cell division when small amounts of caffeine are contained in their nutrient medium.

Dolly the Sheep

The basic technique has existed for a relatively long time - this is the so-called somatic displacement of the cell nucleus, first carried out by the British researcher John Gurdon back in 1962. In general terms, the operation can be described as follows: the cell nucleus is removed from the egg, and with it most of the hereditary material. Then the nucleus of any other cell, for example, the skin, is introduced into the cell. The resulting cell can begin to divide and develop in the same way as if it had been fertilized. An embryo appears: a clone of a creature from whose skin a cell with a nucleus was taken. Further, from such an embryo, it is possible to create a line of embryonic stem cells capable of developing into cells of all those types that exist in the human body.

In the mid-1990s, scientists planted such an embryo in the uterus of a sheep, resulting in the appearance of a clone - Dolly the sheep. Even then, many feared that human clones or artificial babies would appear soon after. But so far this has not happened.

And in this regard, the study described in the Cell publication cannot be considered a big breakthrough. However, it represents the progress expected in the scientific community in this form. “As you know, this method works with many animals. And the very fact of its applicability to human cells, frankly speaking, does not surprise me,” notes, in particular, the head of the Institute of Neurophysiology at the clinic of the University of Cologne, Juergen Hescheler.

"Reprogrammed" cells as an alternative

Rather, the very effectiveness of the process turned out to be unexpected for specialists: during the experiment, an unusually large number of eggs were converted into cell lines - according to calculations, the rejection rate should have been much higher. This is pointed out, in particular, by Hans Scheler from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Münster.

“It became obvious that a person is not something special in this regard,” Scheler says. At the same time, he warns: "The results of the study have laid the groundwork for theoretically moving towards human reproductive cloning - albeit with many technological caveats." He is convinced that a global ban on reproductive cloning should have been adopted long ago.

It is assumed that the cell lines obtained as a result of reproductive cloning can be used in medicine. But this is no longer the only way to “manufacture” cells of the required sizes that patients need, which could replace the destroyed tissue. A solution to the problem is the so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) - cells of the patient's body, processed in the laboratory so that they receive the properties of stem cells, and introduced for further transformation into certain tissues.

iPS cells make it possible to do without the use of embryos and human eggs, the selection of which from a woman's body poses a threat to her health. "Reprogramming" comes with certain limitations for their medical use; relevant studies have not been completed. However, the discoverer of the method, the Japanese Shinya Yamanaka, received the Nobel Prize for this in 2012 - along with John Gurdon, who pioneered cloning.

How to distinguish a real clinic where they treat stem cells from a fake one? How are stem cells treated? Do stem cells help in cosmetology? AiF.ru asked professor, doctor of biological sciences, head of the epigenetics laboratory of the Institute of General Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergey Kiselev, who has been studying stem cells for many years, to talk about what they can treat and how, and what not.

There are more myths than stem cells

— There are a lot of myths and rumors around stem cells. Along with serious science that studies these cells and their use in medicine, there are many clinics that use them in treatment and do this by no means always correctly. They can promise all sorts of miracles like rejuvenation and cures for serious diseases using untested and unapproved stem cell therapies. There are such clinics not only in Russia, but all over the world: in the USA, Europe, Asia. For example, in Switzerland, since the 1930s, a clinic has been operating in which stem cells of a black sheep are used, presenting them as some kind of special. All this is and will be, because there is a demand for it. That's how society works.

How are stem cells treated?

- Real clinics work only according to approved and proven methods. This means that they have been seriously studied in terms of effectiveness and safety. The main thing is that with such treatment, it is usually not the stem cells themselves that are injected, but the cells of those tissues and organs that need to be restored. For example, in the treatment of blindness, these can be retinal cells, in the treatment of burns or wrinkles, fibroblasts, from which skin cells are formed.

Here is the usual scheme for such treatment: cells of the necessary organs and tissues are grown from stem cells in the laboratory, then they are injected directly into the affected organ, where they will multiply and eliminate the existing defect. So it is already possible to treat blindness, burns, and some other diseases. And so now they are conducting clinical trials for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, parkinsonism and other neurodegenerative diseases, spinal cord injuries, heart disease, and so on.

To be or not to be cancer?

How dangerous is this treatment and does it cause cancer? There is an opinion in society that this is almost inevitable. Judge for yourself: in the world in recent years, stem cell treatment - legally or illegally - has undergone at least several million people, and if it were so, then we would certainly have discovered it. There is only one case, documented and described 5-6 years ago, when a sick child from Israel was treated with different mixtures of stem cells and then he developed a tumor from these same cells. We have no other proven cases. There are no statistics proving the possibility of such complications either. Although there are complications. For example, this was actively discussed in connection with a change in appearance Viktor Yushchenko when he was elected to the post of President of Ukraine. We do not know if he received stem cell treatment or if it is related to it. In principle, such complications can be.

IVF is also stem cells

– Another example of the active and long-term use of stem cells since 1977 is in vitro fertilization (IVF). Its essence is that an organoid containing precisely embryonic stem cells, resulting from in vitro fertilization, is introduced into the uterus. More than 5 million such children have already been born in the world, and we do not observe any significant increase in oncological diseases in this regard. Of course, if in an experiment these human stem cells are injected into a mouse specially deprived of immunity, it will develop a tumor. But if you introduce them for medical reasons and in the right place in the body, then nothing will happen. For this, control over such treatment and clinics using it is necessary.

More than 20 years ago, the level of development of medicine reached unprecedented heights. Leading doctors of the world have begun to use stem cell therapy in practice. To date, with the help of cellular technologies, tens of thousands of lives have been saved and significantly alleviate the condition of patients suffering from incurable diseases.

Stem cells - what is it?

This cellular element is the "building material" of the whole organism. It is from the division of one stem cell (zygote) that the formation and development of the human body begins.

The successful outcome of stem cell treatment is due to their peculiarity of self-renewal and development. After division, two types of cells are formed: those that have retained their properties (not changed) and those that transform into cells of tissues and organs. This means that some cells always remain stem cells, others give life to new ones that form the body.

Stem cells are carriers of genetic information and are responsible for the process of regeneration in the body. To date, studies have been carried out, the results of which suggest that in the near future, stem cell treatment will be able to save people from serious diseases that are not amenable to the action of drugs and surgery.

Where are they in the body

There are more than 50 billion constantly renewing stem cells in the human body.

The main sources of the main "building material" are:

• Blood from the umbilical cord. Contains the largest number of stem cells. The biomaterial retains its properties for 20 years, during which time it is placed in a special storage. To use this service, parents must conclude an agreement with the Stem Cell Bank before the birth of the child. In addition, the cells from have better biological compatibility, i.e., they are suitable for transplantation to the next of kin.

• Red bone marrow is the site of localization of stem cells in an adult. A biomaterial is taken by puncture, from which new stem cells are artificially grown and transplanted to a person.
• Brain. Having a high degree of transformation, brain stem cells are not used in clinical practice. This is due to the fact that in order to extract them, it is necessary to completely destroy the brain.
• Myocardium. Treatment with stem cells derived from it has not yet been practiced.
• Leather. Source of stem cells in both the embryo and the adult. Cells isolated from the skin have been successfully used to treat burns of any degree.
• Bone marrow stroma. Cells have a high ability to repair damaged tissues and organs soon after transplantation. Their main advantage is the low probability of complications after transplantation.
• abortive material. Stem cells are isolated from the fetus during artificial termination of pregnancy. In many countries, this procedure is prohibited.
• The embryo of the first week of intrauterine development. Obtaining stem cells from a fetus is officially prohibited in Russia, it is regarded as an encroachment on the life of a child who has not yet been born.

Embryonic cells have the highest degree of activity, their transplantation is also carried out to the next of kin. Cells taken from an adult are transplanted only to him and have a lower activity in comparison with embryonic ones.

How do they work

At the slightest damage, stem cells are delivered by blood to the site of injury and start the process of regeneration.

Every year their number decreases, and the body ages. In the fetus in the womb, there is 1 stem cell per 10 thousand transformed cells, and at about 60-70 years old - 8 million cells.

To get rid of the overwhelming number of ailments, a biomaterial is taken from a person, from which stem cells are isolated. They multiply in the laboratory and are transplanted back into the human body.

Advances in cellular medicine are so amazing that they allow you to direct active cells to the right organ, speeding up the recovery process.

What ailments do they deal with?

Stem cells are recognized as an effective treatment for:

• injuries of the brain and spinal cord;
• burns of varying severity;
• cardiovascular disorders;
• the vast majority of blood diseases;
• immunodeficiency;
• consequences of chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer.

Clinical studies are currently underway to identify a stem cell treatment regimen for neuropsychiatric disorders, liver and lung diseases, and ischemia of the lower extremities.

In addition, this method has proven itself in cosmetology. Dermatological problems can be successfully treated with stem cells, customer reviews after a course of procedures are full of delight: scars on the skin, acne, age spots disappear; the skin looks healthy, smooth and well-groomed.

Age-related changes are also amenable to therapy - the skin becomes elastic, wrinkles are smoothed out.

Countries using stem cells

Cell technology research requires significant government funding. Given the relevance of testing, the heads of many states are willing to allocate funds for the development of this area.

To date, the leading countries in the world that successfully use stem cells in the treatment of many diseases are:

• Israel.
• Switzerland.
• South Korea.
• China.
• Japan.
• Russia.

More than 200 cord blood banks are officially registered worldwide.

Stem cell treatment in Russia

Most people prefer stem cell treatment in Moscow.

One of the most insidious diseases of our time, difficult to respond to standard therapy, is multiple sclerosis; stem cell treatment in Moscow for this disease has been carried out since 2003 in the Russian stem cell clinic. In terms of the number of patients, the clinic is the undisputed leader.

The topic of treatment of multiple sclerosis is more relevant than ever - none of the existing drugs can stop the development of the disease. In the best case, with the help of medications, temporary improvement can be achieved. Conferences were repeatedly held in Moscow - the treatment of multiple sclerosis with stem cells was recognized as the best method of dealing with the disease.

In addition to the main metropolitan clinic, stem cells are successfully used in Russia by the largest centers:

• "The latest medicine", Moscow.
• Clinic of hematology and them. A. A. Maksimova, Moscow.
• "Pokrovsky", St. Petersburg.

Price

The price of stem cell treatment depends on the country, clinic, as well as on the patient's problem. In Russia, the cost varies between 300-600 thousand rubles, it is due to the complexity of the work, but the probability of a successful outcome of treatment is much higher than with standard therapy.

It is important to understand that stem cells are not a panacea for all diseases. At the moment, with their help, it is possible to achieve a better result than with conventional treatment. Perhaps in the near future, research in this area will allow the development of a stem cell treatment method for currently incurable diseases.