Category Archives: Kansas Stem Cells

When Hudsyn was first given the label cerebral palsy, Dan and I sat in that tiny doctors office and listened as the neurologist explained what the medical term actually meant. We nodded our heads partially in disbelief, yet also having a large amount of relief that we finally had a diagnosis.

The tough part came when he began talking about what we do next. Some part of me was really hopeful. Surely because this diagnosis is so common, there are a variety of things we can do to help our little girl live a full life. But after hearing the statements, We cannot repair brain damagethere is no cure for this outcome. So what we do now is treat symptoms and make her as comfortable and happy as possible by encouraging the healthy cells she has left to work hard and operate at maximum potential.

I felt like Id been punched in the stomach.

No cure? No way we can repair her brain to go back to what God had created for her in my womb? This wasnt supposed to be the way it ended. Give me the path, docanything. Ill do anything to help her get better. Will it take thousands of dollars to get a treatment that Id have to go to China to receive? Ill do it. But saying theres nothing you can dosome part of me refused to accept that. And Im very grateful I didnt. Because with hope and determination comes solutions.

We began prayinga lot. Then I began to researchanything I could get my hands on to help understand CP and what our life was going to be like in the future. It hurt because some of it was unbelievably difficult to imagine. I asked other parents. I found treatments like Cuevas Medek Exercise therapy, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), and a host of alternative treatments which I wrote about last May. But none of these proved to improve her condition significantly on their own.

And then, a glimmer of hope surfaceda mom on one of my support groups pointed me to a hospital in Panama City that was doing something called Stem Cell Therapy for kids with brain damageespecially those with the diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. So I dug a little deeper and found videos like these:

Obviously, I was skeptical and so was Dan. I think his first statement after hearing that I was suggesting we take our daughter to Panama City to get stem cell injections was, Im sorry honey, but theres no way in hell were doing that.

I continued to research despite his skepticism and mine. I wanted to know more facts. Maybe we couldnt do it right now, but I wondered if this was a future possibility for her once it was approved in the U.S.

Cord banks in the U.S. are talking about itabout their healing and regenerative potential. As the master cells of the body, stem cells are the building blocks of blood, tissue, and organs. Cord blood stem cells are being used today to treat serious diseases like leukemia and sickle cell anemia. Theyre also being researched as treatment for conditions like cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and hearing loss in clinical trials and lab research.

I continued my thirst of information by reading several books, articles, case studies and medical journals. I watched even more videos, presentations, listened to podcasts and audio recordings anything I could get my hands on to learn more about this type of therapy, but especially if it applied to kids and those with cerebral palsy. Below is a summary of the biggest points I pulled out of each resource:

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Exploring Stem Cell Therapy for Cerebral Palsy | See the Seitz

Ischemic stroke mainly caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) is a major type of stroke, but there are currently very limited therapeutic options for its cure. Neural stem cells (NSCs) or neural precursor cells (NPCs) derived from various sources are known to survive and improve neurological functions when they are engrafted in animal models of stroke. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated from somatic cells of patients are novel cells that promise the autologous cell therapy for stroke. In this study, we successfully differentiated iPSCs derived from human fibroblasts into NPCs and found their robust therapeutic potential in a rodent MCAo stroke model. We observed the significant graft-induced behavioral recovery, as well as extensive neural tissue formation. Animal MRI results indicated that the majority of contralaterally transplanted iPSC-derived NPCs migrated to the peri-infarct area, showing a pathotropism critical for tissue recovery. The transplanted animals exhibited the significant reduction of stroke-induced inflammatory response, gliosis and apoptosis, and the contribution to the endogenous neurogenesis. Our results demonstrate that iPSC-derived NPCs are effective cells for the treatment of stroke.

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Therapeutic potential of human induced pluripotent stem ...

The Advisory Board, will serve in an advisory capacity to the Center's Director. Board members duties could include fund raising, public speaking, and other public relations activities to advance public awareness of successful adult, cord blood and related stem 3 cell therapeutic options. The Board is required to meet at least four times each year and will be authorized to meet upon the call of the chairperson.

The Centers director will serve as an ex officio member of the Board. Advisory Board members may serve for only three consecutive terms and its members will serve without compensation. The bill provides for Board vacancies and appointments of successor members. The Governor will appoint the Board chairperson. The Board is composed of the following 14 members along with Director, Dr. Buddhadeb Dawn, M.D.

Richard J. Barohn, M.D. Vice Chancellor Research University of Kansas Medical Center

Rep. DavidCrum, ODRepresentative, Kansas House of Representatives Optometrist, DoctorsCrumand Todd, Professional Association

BuddhadebDawn, M.D.Maureen andMarvin Dunn Professor Director, Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center Director,Division of Cardiovascular Diseases University of Kansas Medical Center

MichaelDetamore,Ph.D.Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Courtesy Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence

Barbara MacArthur, RN, MN, FAANVice President of Cardiovascular Services University of Kansas Hospital

Joseph McGuirk, DOProfessor of Medicine Interim Division Director Medical Director, Blood and Marrow Transplant University of Kansas Medical Center

RobertMoser, MDSecretary of Health and Environment State Health Officer, State of Kansas

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Advisory Board, Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center

J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2011 Apr-Jun; 3(2): 182188.

1Department of Biotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur - 522 510, India

2Department of Medicine, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute, Enathur, Kancheepuram, Tamilnadu, India

3Institute for Scientific Research and Technology Services, National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation, Clayton City of Knowledge, 0843-01103, Republic of Panam

Received December 23, 2010; Revised February 24, 2011; Accepted March 10, 2011.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Permanent loss of cardiomyocytes and scar tissue formation after myocardial infarction (MI) results in an irreversible damage to the cardiac function. Cardiac repair (replacement, restoration, and regeneration) is, therefore, essential to restore function of the heart following MI. Existing therapies lower early mortality rates, prevent additional damage to the heart muscle, and reduce the risk of further heart attacks. However, there is need for treatment to improve the infarcted area by replacing the damaged cells after MI. Thus, the cardiac tissue regeneration with the application of stem cells may be an effective therapeutic option. Recently, interest is more inclined toward myocardial regeneration with the application of stem cells. However, the potential benefits and the ability to improve cardiac function with the stem cell-based therapy need to be further addressed. In this review, we focus on the clinical applications of stem cells in the cardiac repair.

Keywords: Cardiomyocytes, myocardial infarction, stem cells, stem cell transplantation

Myocardial infarction (heart attack; abbreviated as "MI") remains a major clinical problem and the leading causes of mortality in the world. In the United States alone, approximately 1 million people suffer MI each year. In the UK, the annual incidence of MI (using 2006 CHD mortality data) was estimated to be about 146 000 of all aged individuals (men: ~87 000 and women: ~59 000), and the estimated prevalence in those aged >35 years is more than 1.4 million (men: ~970 000 and women: ~439 000).[1] MI can be defined by pathology as myocardial cell death due to prolonged ischemia.[2] The most common cause of MI is coronary atherosclerotic plaque rupture or erosion, resulting in the exposure of thrombogenic contents to the blood. This leads to thrombus formation and consequently MI. Several risk factors are associated with MI as listed below.

The risk factors include

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Myocardial infarction and stem cells - National Center for ...

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A team led by ETH professor Yaakov Benenson has developed several new components for biological circuits. These components are key building blocks for constructing precisely functioning and programmable bio-computers.

Bio-engineers are working on the development of biological computers with the aim of designing small circuits made from biological material that can be integrated into cells to change their functions. In the future, such developments could enable cancer cells to be reprogrammed, thereby preventing them from dividing at an uncontrollable rate. Stem cells could likewise be reprogrammed into differentiated organ cells.

The researchers have not progressed that far yet. Although they have spent the past 20 years developing individual components and prototypes of biological computers, bio-computers today still differ significantly from their counterparts made of silicon, and bio-engineers still face several major obstacles.

A silicon chip, for example, computes with ones and zeros current is either flowing or not and it can switch between these states in the blink of an eye. In contrast, biological signals are less clear: in addition to 'signal' and 'no signal', there is a plethora of intermediate states with 'a little bit of signal'. This is a particular disadvantage for bio-computer components that serve as sensors for specific biomolecules and transmit the relevant signal. Sometimes, they also send an output signal if no input signal is present, and the problem becomes worse when several such components are connected consecutively in a circuit.

A biosensor that does not 'leak'

ETH doctoral candidate Nicolas Lapique from the group led by Yaakov Benenson, Professor of Synthetic Biology in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel, has now developed a biological circuit that controls the activity of individual sensor components using internal "timer". This circuit prevents a sensor from being active when not required by the system; when required, it can be activated via a control signal. The researchers recently published their work in the scientific journal Nature Chemical Biology.

To understand the underlying technology, it is important to know that these biological sensors consist of synthetic genes that are read by enzymes and converted into RNA and proteins. In the controllable biosensor developed by Lapique, the gene responsible for the output signal is not active in its basic state, as it is installed in the wrong orientation in the circuit DNA. The gene is activated via a special enzyme, a recombinase, which extracts the gene from the circuit DNA and reinstalls it in the correct orientation, making it active. "The input signals can be transmitted much more accurately than before thanks to the precise control over timing in the circuit," says Benenson.

To date, the researchers have tested the function of their activation-ready sensor in cell culture of human kidney and cancer cells. Nevertheless, they are already looking ahead to further developing the sensor so that it can be used in a more complex bio-computer that detects and kills cancer cells. These bio-computers will be designed to detect typical cancer molecules. If cancer markers are found in a cell, the circuit could, for example, activate a cellular suicide programme. Healthy cells without cancer markers would remain unaffected by this process.

Versatile signal converter developed

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Precise and programmable biological circuits

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Newswise KANSAS CITY, MO Adult organisms ranging from fruit flies to humans harbor adult stem cells, some of which renew themselves through cell division while others differentiate into the specialized cells needed to replace worn-out or damaged organs and tissues.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms that control the balance between self-renewal and differentiation in adult stem cells is an important foundation for developing therapies to regenerate diseased, injured or aged tissue.

In the current issue of the journal Nature, scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research report that competition between two proteins, Bam and COP9, balances the self-renewal and differentiation functions of ovarian germline stem cells (GSCs) in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster).

Bam is the master differentiation factor in the Drosophila female GSC system, says Stowers Investigator Ting Xie, Ph.D., and senior author of the Nature paper. In order to carry out the switch from self-renewal to differentiation, Bam must inactivate the functions of self-renewing factors as well as activate the functions of differentiation factors.

Bam, which is encoded by the gene with the unusual name of bag-of-marbles, is expressed at high levels in differentiating cells and very low levels in GSCs of fruit flies.

Among the self-renewing factors targeted by Bam is the COP9 signalosome (CSN), an evolutionarily conserved, multi-functional complex that contains eight protein sub-units (CSN1 to CSN8). Xie and his collaborators discovered that Bam and the COP9 sub-unit known as CSN4 have opposite functions in regulating the fate of GSCs in female fruit flies.

Bam can switch COP9 function from self-renewal to differentiation by sequestering and antagonizing CSN4, Xie says. Bam directly binds to CSN4, preventing its association with the seven other COP9 components via protein competition, he adds. CSN4 is the only COP9 sub-unit that can interact with Bam.

This study has offered a novel way for Bam to carry out the switch from self-renewal to differentiation, says Xie, whose lab uses a combination of genetic, molecular, genomic and cell biological approaches to investigate GSCs as well as somatic stem cells of fruit flies.

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Stowers Researchers Reveal Molecular Competition Drives ...

In 2013, the Kansas Legislature and Governor Sam Brownback approved the formation of the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center (MSCTC). The center is housed within the University of Kansas Medical Center campus in Kansas City, Kansas. The MSCTC is designed to serve as a hub of adult stem cell therapy, research, and education in the State of Kansas and the adjoining region.

The MSCTC faculty and staff include physicians, scientists, and trainees representing the fields of adult stem cell biology, neurology, oncology, hematology, cardiac and vascular, endocrine, and other subspecialties. These individuals represent several local and regional institutions, enabling the formation of a stem cell network of knowledge and information. This synergy among various institutions also fosters productive collaborations that may result in faster translation of basic science discoveries into the clinic.

It is because of this outstanding team of dedicated members, the MSCTC has made significant strides in the relatively short time since its inception. Indeed, the MSCTC now houses a fully functional GMP operation that has been processing cells for human therapy. One clinical trial with bone marrow cells has been initiated, and several future clinical trials with adult stem cells are in the start-up phase. In addition, cutting edge molecular stem cell research is being conducted by MSCTC scientists. These ongoing studies involve induced pluripotent stem cells, regulation of cellular differentiation, cord blood cells, as well as various transcription factors and other molecular pathways in adult stem cells.

Besides clinical trials and basic research, dissemination of information regarding adult stem cell treatment options for various diseases is a major goal of MSCTC. The web portals for these informational modules are currently under construction. In addition, the MSCTC is planning to expand the training of postdoctoral fellows in basic research in adult stem cell biology, as well as clinicians in adult stem cell-related topics. Our goal is to further broaden the multidisciplinary range of expertise available within MSCTC. Also related to education, the first Midwest Conference on Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine was held under the auspices of MSCTC in November 2013. This meeting was extremely well received by the varied audience. We intend to hold the 2014 meeting on Sep 19-20.

Despite this rapid progress, it should be recognized that the MSCTC is a very recent and rather nascent phenomenon. We have a very long way to go. At the same time, we are very stimulated by the support and enthusiasm surrounding the MSCTC - and remain firmly committed to promoting adult stem cell therapy and research - so that patients with often incurable diseases may have hope.

Thank you for visiting. We hope to count on your support toward improving lives with adult stem cells!

Buddhadeb Dawn, M.D. Director, Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center

Last modified: Apr 24, 2014

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Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center, University of Kansas ...

A glossary of terms used in the stem cell research field:

Adult (or Somatic) Stem Cell An undifferentiated cell found in a differentiated tissue that can renew itself and differentiate (with certain limitations) to give rise to all the specialized cell types of the tissue from which it originated. It is important to note that scientists do not agree about whether or not adult stem cells may give rise to cell types other than those of the tissue from which they originate.

Astrocyte a type of supporting (glial) cell found in the nervous system.

Blastocoel The fluid-filled cavity inside the blastocyst of the developing embryo.

Blastocyst A pre-implantation embryo of about 150 cells produced by cell division following fertilization. The blastocyst is a sphere made up of an outer layer of cells (the trophoblast), a fluid-filled cavity (the blastocoel), and a cluster of cells on the interior (the inner cell mass).

Bone Marrow Stromal Cells A mixed population of stem cells found in bone marrow that does not give rise to blood cells but instead generates bone, cartilage, fat, and fibrous connective tissue.

Cell Division Method by which a single cell divides to create two cells. There are two main types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis.

Excerpt from:

Stem Cell History | A History of Stem Cell Research

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Kansas City is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It encompasses 318 square miles (820 km2) in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties. It is one of two county seats of Jackson County, the other being Independence, just to the city's east. The city also serves as the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, second largest in Missouri, and largest with territory in Kansas (Wichita is the largest metropolitan area anchored in Kansas). (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City,_Missouri)

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Kansas City MO Resources - Stem Cells: Get Facts on Uses ...