Consultations are
available at the nearest clinic of
Cosmetic Surgery Seishin.
- April 1, 2012
- The Seishin Regeneratice Medicine was established at Yokohama, Nagoya and Hiroshima Clinic in April 2012. The Celution System has already been introduced into seven clinics in Japan.
- April 27, 2010
- StemSource® stem cell bank introduced for the first time in Japan (for cryopreservation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells)
- April 20, 2010
- Regenerative Therapy with Growth Factors, the world’s most advanced treatment for hair regeneration
- April 5, 2010
- Testimonial issued to our clinic for our scientific achievements in stem cell transplantation
Value of storage of stem cells
Why is the storage (banking) of stem cells important?
Stem cells have the ability to transform themselves into specific cells and renew themselves in an undifferentiated state for a long time. In other words, stem cells are the master cells that grow into tissues or organs. The use of your own cells to regenerate tissues or organs and restore function will overcome immunological rejection and ethical problems. Clinical studies have been conducted on stem cell-based therapies for a variety of diseases, and the efficacy has been demonstrated. Advances in stem cell therapy are remarkable, and progress over the past few years suggests that the therapy will surely develop further.
It has been demonstrated that the ability of stem cells to regenerate tissue, cell functions, and the number of stem cells decrease with advancing age.
The figure on the right shows the effect of age at the time of cell collection on the increase in the number of cells. The growth of stem cells collected from persons 53 or 58 years of age slowed seven days after culturing. However, the number of stem cells collected from persons 20 or 39 years of age started increasing quickly on day 7 and was twice that of cells from persons in their fifties on day 13. Cells age with advancing age, which affects cell growth during culturing. Thus, impairment and the aging of stem cells have a variety of effects on physical conditions; cancer, aging symptoms, and functional disorders may occur.
As shown in the figure above, stem cells may lose a part of their abilities when they are needed in the future. Thus, it is better to store cells when you are young. Collection of fat (liposuction) is a substantial burden on the body and difficult when you are ill.
It is therefore necessary to collect and store stem cells when you are young and healthy. Recent studies demonstrate that cells are safely stored for 30 years after collection.
- Storage of young stem cells without impairment of their abilities increases the chance of receiving effective stem cell therapy in the future.
- Cells collected by a single liposuction procedure may be used for a variety of purposes.
- Cells in good physical condition are stored for use when you fall ill.
Regenerative medicine and stem cells
Unlimited potential of regenerative medicine with stem cells
Regenerative medicine is a medical treatment intended to regenerate cells, tissues, or organs and recover body functions lost by accidents or disease. There are several types of regenerative medicine, and transplantation of stem cells is one of them. In recent years, stem cells have been extensively studied along with the development of culture technology, molecular cytology, tissue engineering, and genetic engineering. Stem cell-based regenerative medicine is now attracting attention as a national product. Stem cells have been used for the treatment of a variety of intractable diseases, and clinical studies are now ongoing.
Stem cells have the ability to transform themselves into specific cells and renew themselves in an undifferentiated state for a long time. In other words, stem cells are the master cells that grow into tissues or organs. The use of your own cells to regenerate tissues or organs and restore function will overcome immunological rejection and ethical problems. Regenerative medicine appears to be a medical treatment of unlimited potential, which maximizes the innate regenerative ability of the body.
Type of stem cells
Two types: one derived from human embryos and the other from human bodies
Stem cells include embryonic stem (ES) cells collected from human embryos (fertilized eggs) and adult stem cells from human tissue. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells stored at the Seishin Regenerative Medicine are a type of adult stem cells.
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What are adipose tissue-derived stem cells?
Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (or adipose tissue-derived regenerative cells, ADRC) are a type of adult stem cell present in the subcutaneous adipose tissue that was found in 2001 by Dr. Marc Hedrick, the founder of Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., in the United States. The discovery heralded a significant development in regenerative medicine. Transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells harvested from the patient’s own adipose tissue now draws global attention, and the technology is being translated into clinical practice.
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Studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of drugs and therapies are largely classified into preclinical studies (nonclinical studies) and clinical studies. In research and development of drugs and studies of new treatments, preclinical studies use animals to investigate the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and adverse effects.
When the results of preclinical studies suggest the expected efficacy and satisfactory safety profiles, clinical studies are conducted in humans.
Nonclinical studies aim to provide scientific data to evaluate and demonstrate efficacy and safety. Nonclinical studies are necessary to conduct clinical studies and important to support clinical efficacy and safety. Those studies were previously called preclinical studies but are now called nonclinical studies because they are also conducted after the start of clinical studies (source: Incorporated Association Pharmaceutical Society of Japan).
Celution System dedicated for use in cell storage
In the field of cosmetic surgery, Seishin Regenerative Medicine is the first in the world to introduce the Celution System, which allows the extraction of stem cells from adipose tissue, and has been using it for breast augmentation and anti-aging therapy. To start the stem cell banking service, we introduced the Celution® 900/MB System dedicated for use in cell storage.
The Celution System was developed by Cytori Therapeutics, which was founded by Dr. Mark Hedrick who discovered adipose tissue-derived stem cells. The system automates the cleaning of adipose tissue and cell separation and extracts a consistent quality and volume of stem cells in a short time.
In the field of plastic surgery, transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells with the Celution System was performed at Kyushu University Hospital in Beppu in 2006. In addition, a clinical study of the system for breast reconstruction is being conducted under the supervision of Dr. Keizo Sugimachi (professor emeritus at Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, general director of Onga Hospital and Okagaki Hospital, Onga Nakama Medical Association), and Cosmetic Surgery Seishin General Director Kamakura (director of the Seishin Regenerative Medicine) participates in the study as a project member.
Adipose tissue-derived stem cells raising even greater expectations
Researchers investigated ES cells derived from human embryos and iPS cells prepared from cord blood and skin cells, but their clinical studies were far from active because of low yields of those cells and ethical problems. Under such circumstances, adipose tissue-derived stem cells have been drawing attention since successful preparation of iPS cells (new pluripotent cells) with the use of adipose tissue-derived stem cells in joint research involving research institutes in the United States and Kyoto University in February 2010. Extensive studies of adipose tissue-derived stem cells are likely to further expand the indications of therapy.
