Category Archives: Utah Stem Cells

John D. Sonnenberg, M.D.

Stem Cell Therapy is a one of the most exciting areas in all of modern medicine. The treatment of joint pain andinjuries appears to be on the verge of a revolution. Leading this revolution arethe continued discoveries and development of Orthopedic Stem Cell Therapys healing capabilities. At South Valley OrthoMed, we offer the latest technology in orthopedic stem cell treatments to the entire Salt Lake Valley. With more than 35 years of orthopedic experience, our patients receive treatment by the most qualified and capable hands around, namely, experienced, board-certified orthopedic surgeons.

Stem cells are, in short, natures original construction crew. Naturally produced by the human body, stem cells possess the incredible ability to change and adapt into more specializedcell types.Think of them as growth, or developmental cells, still in their infancy. In Stem Cell Therapy these multi-talented cells are injected into a specific, damaged area of the body. The cells are then able to grow and reproduce themselves. They mature and contribute to their surrounding environment, particularly in repairing damaged tissue. When stem cells enter damaged tissue, they receive signals that instruct them to differentiate. Damaged tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilage, muscle andeven damaged skin, are all treatable with stem cells.

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Orthopedic Stem Cell Therapy in Utah for Painful Joints

POSTED ON 04/03/2019 IN Uncategorized BY Chris Centeno

Weve been testing amniotic and umbilical cord products since 2015. In that time we have tested all types currently on the market, and despite thewild claims of birth tissue vendors and physicians that these products contain many live and functional mesenchymal stem cells, they have all had none. Today we add a Whartons jelly product to that long list. Let me explain.

MSC stands for mesenchymal stem cell. This is an all-around cell that has been tested in many animal models and now several clinical trials and found to be likely helpfulin orthopedic care. This is why we see some umbilical cord product manufacturers claim to have MSCs in their products, as it justifies the pricing at about 4050X the price of gold.

Do you remember this guy from Saturday Night Live in the 80s?

He would tell the audience something that was clearly false and then follow up with his line, Yeah, thats the ticket

When this massive birth tissues scam began in approximately 2013, I first realized something was off when I found a booth at a conference hawking amniotic tissue as a stem cell product. This couldnt be true as theproduct was dehydrated and gamma irritated to kill all living tissue, including viruses and cells. From there the myth grew to include a new type of product, one that was made from frozen amniotic fluid. We tested several of those products and found no live cells, let alone stem cells. Then the mantra changed to the concept that amniotic fluid was a growth factor product. The problem? Our testing (and that later performed by Lisa Fortier at Cornell) showed poor growth factor levels compared to platelet-richplasma. Then the myth changed to the idea that it was umbilical cord products that clearly had live and functional MSCs. We then tested our first cord blood product in 2017 and found no MSCs. Then we began collecting samples like box tops for one larger study. In that time, others, like Lisa Fortier, DVM, PhD, from Cornell published confirming our results. Then the story changed to, of course, cord blood doesnt have many MSCsall of those are in the Whartons jelly part of the umbilical cord! Hence, this is our first test of an umbilical cord WJ product.

A while back, Utah Cord Bank claimed that it had an umbilical cord stem cell product that produced CFUs. What is that? A CFU is a colony of adherent cells, and one type of that assay has become a standard way to measure the MSC content of tissues like bone marrow. To learn more about that, see my video below:

The good news is that multiple studies have linked CFU content to the potency of stem cell-basedtherapies in orthopedics. The higher the number of CFUs present in of the substance being used, the better the therapeutic results. Utah Cord Bank published this image (bottom), which I compared to an actual CFU (top):

Basically, the companywas calling a tiny spec of cells that you could barely see (the top plate with about 30 cells) a CFU, while on the bottom, real CFUs from bone marrow actually had thousands of cells each. So I knew testing a Utah Cord product would be really interesting because this is the only company that has purported to show any type of CFU result.

We tested StemVive the same way we have tested other products, using a live/dead stain and a CFU-f assay. The initial viability when the product was thawed per manufacturers instructions was in the 40s. Thats fairly typical for these products. We then plated it side by side with a random patients bone marrow sample at 10,000 and 30,000 cells/cm2. We then incubated it and observed the cultures for two weeks. By 24 hours, despite the ideal culture conditions (10% FBC+AMEM+bFGF), everything was dead. This is also typical for what we have seen with birth tissue products. Anything that initially looked alive on live/dead stains dies off quickly. How can this be? Given that more than 40% of the cells were initially alive? Watch my video for an explanation:

What we noted was that while there were a few candidate fibroblastic cells in StemVive that could have been MSCs, by the first week, these had also died out. The two-week stains are at the top of this blog. In the old guy bone marrow samples, they show purple dots, which indicate CFU hits on the CFU-f assay. These are the first part of the ISCT guidelines for identifying MSCs in a sample (adherence to plastic). So the bone marrow was positive for MSCs (which would then need to be confirmed via flow cytometry and other lab testing) and the StemVive (all white with no purple dots) was negative.

In conclusion, the StemVive product we tested had poor viability (good would be in the 90s). It was all dead by 24 hours, which means that much of the sample that was initially testing as alive was actually alive and dying. Finally, no MSCs were in the sample to attach to plastic.

We have tested several umbilical cord products and found them to all have no viable and functional MSCs, and Lisa Fortiers lab at Cornell has also tested several. However, I cant rule out that every sample out there will test this way. However, theres only a limited suite of things that manufacturers can do to these products and stay FDA compliant on the processing. Hence, its very unlikely that other products and samples will produce different results.

The upshot? Can we please end the sales calls by orthopedic sales reps who dont know what they dont know hawking vials of stem cells? Despite test after test showing that these reps and companies claiming live MSCs are committing fraud, they still continue. So please stop

*DISCLAIMER: Like all medical procedures, Regenexx Procedures have a success and failure rate. Patient reviews and testimonials on this site should not be interpreted as a statement on the effectiveness of our treatments for anyone else. Providers listed on the Regenexx website are for informational purposes only and are not a recommendation from Regenexx for a specific provider or a guarantee of the outcome of any treatment you receive.

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Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Review: StemVive from Utah Cord ...

Lonzas 4D Nucleofector Technology is an improved electroporation technology that can help researchers achieve high transfection efficiencies in standard cell lines, primary cells, stem cells, and hard to transfect cell lines. With the 4D Nucleofector high efficiencies can be reached using much lower substrate amounts and with moderate impact on viability. The comprehensive way in which 4D Nucleofector Programs and cell type-specific solutions are developed enables nucleic acid and protein substrate delivery not only to the cytoplasm, but also through the nuclear membrane and into the nucleus. This allows for high efficiencies up to 99% and makes the transfection success independent from cell proliferation.

The MGD Core has acquired a complete Lonza 4D Nucleofector System that any and all researchers can use. This complete System is made up of four unique functional parts:

Core Unit The main control center for the 4D-Nucleofector System that controls the function of all other units. It has a 5.7 touch screen to operate all units and is loaded with intuitive operation software for designing and saving individual experimental setups.

X Unit This base unit allows Nucleofection of cells in suspension in 20ul Nucleocuvette 16-well strips or in single-use 100ul Nucleocuvettes. Each well in a 16-well Nucleocevette strip is electroporated independently allowing for different conditions to be tested and re-use of the strips if wells are not used. This unit is perfect for testing individual conditions on cells and for small-scale experiments.

Y Unit This unit allows Nucleofection of cells while still adherent to 24 well culture plates. This unit is perfect for working with adherent cells, such as neurons derived from stem cells, which are not transfectable in suspension. Transfection of adherent cells using the Y unit may lead to more physiological response in cells.

96-well Shuttle Controlled by the Core unit the 96-well Shuttle is an add-on unit that allows for convenient optimization of conditions or large-scale screens to be preformed. Each individual well is processed independently allowing 96 different experimental conditions to be tested at one time.

The full Lonza 4D Nucleofector System is housed in Room 7470 of the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, along with a cell culture hood for researchers to work with their cells in and a 37C incubator to store their cell.

To reserve time to use the Lonza 4D Nucleofector System please use the following link to login to the HSC Core Research Facilities resource page. Select the Mutation Generation page option and then select the 4D Nucleofector page option. Here you can reserve time to use the System. Researchers will be charged a $5.00 fee for every 30 minutes block reserved. Individual experiments do not require more than one 30-minute block.

University of Utah Core Labs

Lonza maintains two databases with protocols (including Nucleofector Solution types and program numbers) of optimized protocols for a wide range of cell lines. Basically Lonza has already done the optimization experiment and determined the best conditions to achieve the highest transfection efficiency with the least amount of cell death. These databases are a good starting place to determine the most optimal protocol for working with your specific cell line.

Lonzas public optimized cell line protocol database can be found at the following link: http://bio.lonza.com/6.html

Lonza also maintains a database of user-optimized protocols that is not publicly available. Please contact either Dr. Gregory Alberts or Haylee Erickson at the following information for access. Dr. Alberts is an expert on the use of the 4D Nucleofector System and a great resource for the best transfection protocols to use with your specific cell line. The following is a link to a seminar given by Dr. Alberts on using the 4D Nucleofection system:Dr. Alberts 4D Nucleofection System

Gregory Alberts, Ph.D. gregory.alberts@lonza.com

Global Subject Matter Expert

Lonza Pharma Bioscience Solutions

Haylee Erickson haylee.erickson@lonza.com

Sales Specialist, Rocky Mnt/Pacific NW

Lonza Pharma Bioscience Solutions

Original CRISPR-Cas9 experiments were performed using DNA vectors, viral vectors or RNA transfection to produce the components of the system: Cas9 protein and single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). New advances have demonstrated that these component can be produced and combined in vitro to form a ribonucleoprotein complex or RNP that is functional in vitro and in vivo without the need for transcription or translation. This CRISPR RNP complex a can be delivered directly to cells and results in immediate, efficient, and specific target cleavage by the CRISPR RNP.

Several labs have shown that combining the CRISPR RNP approach with the extremely high transfection efficiency of the Lonza 4D Nucleofection System can result in mutation frequencies reaching 90% of targeted gene copies in several different cell types. CRISPR RNP delivery is applicable to a wide range of cell types, including established cell lines, primary cells, adherent cells such as primary neurons, iPCS, and stem cells. With these cell types using the CRISPR RNP approach can dramatically shortened the time it takes to create targeted variants of your gene of.

Please contact the MGD Core if you have any questions concerning this approach or would like to discuss the possibility of using CRISPR RNP in your research. Also, the following link is a generalized protocol detailing how to combine the CRISPR RNP approach with the Lonza 4D Nucleofection System.

General Nucleofection Protocol

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Mutation Generation & Detection HSC Cores: Home

Specialties

We focus entirely on treatments that will help you feel stronger, with pain free joints, better mood, and a more beautiful appearance. You will look great and feel even better.

Established in 2015.

Utah Stem Cells was founded for the purpose of developing a new and exciting concept in a medical wellness center. Utilizing the latest advancements in stem cell technology, all of our services are specifically designed to enhance the quality of your life. We focus entirely on treatments that will help you feel stronger, with pain free joints, better mood, and a more beautiful appearance. You will look great and feel even better.

Dr. Bill Cimikoski, Medical Director of Utah Stem Cells, is a Medical Toxicologist that specializes in Stem Cell Joint Regeneration-a foremost authority featured on HealthLine TV and ABC's Good 4 Utah. Assisted by experienced and trained nurses and physician assistants, Dr Bill offers the treatments that can benefit you the most, while making sure that from a toxicology perspective won't hurt in the long term.

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Utah Stem Cells - Salt Lake City, UT - Yelp

What is platelet rich plasma (PRP)?

PRP is essentially blood that has been centrifuged and has had the red and white blood cells removed.Produced in just a few minutes from a normal venous blood draw, PRP contains a powerful mix of growth factors that can enhance tissue regeneration, healing and hair follicle growth. PRP has been studied widely and has established itself to be effective and safe as a medical treatment in the fields of oral surgery, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery and wound healing. Its use in hair restoration is relatively new but several studies have shown it to be an exciting non-chemical, non-pharmaceutical alternative to surgery.

Docere Medical is one of the early regenerative medicine clinics to offer you the option of using stem cells derived from your own fat tissue. After performing a lipoaspiration procedure (miniature liposuction), the stem cell rich, Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) is extracted from the whole adipose and these stem cells can be added to PRP to further boost the regenerative process on a cellular level. Research has shown that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have proteins that exert diverse skin rejuvenating effects, such as the stimulation of collagen synthesis, triggering the growth of new blood vessels, as well as hair growth stimulating effects. Adding adult stem to PRP offers patients another innovative tool for hair restoration.

PRP has effectively grown hair in the following patient groups:

Absolutely. In fact, we encourage the use of many different treatment modalities such as low level light therapy, Minoxidil, and DHT blockers. We are happy to discuss all of these options with you during your consultation.

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Stem Cells for Hair in Park City, Utah Docere Medical

Platelet rich plasma and stem cell therapy are continuously studied for their regenerative benefit in sports medicine and chronic pain treatment. Insurance companies do not currently reimburse these non-surgical treatments because the long-term effects of them need to be studied longer. However, many physicians offer these life-changing treatments to patients in need of restored function, pain relief, and care for knee, ankle, foot, and shoulder injuries for example.

Southwest Spine and Pain Center is proud to announce that we now offer platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection therapy. Patients are encouraged to talk to their Southwest Spine and Pain physician about this treatment option and how it could benefit their chronic condition. With four locations across Utah, Southwest Spine and Pain Center is better able to provide the best pain treatment to suffering patients.

We often hear PRP injections and stem cell treatment grouped together. For PRP injections, a physician uses the patients own blood to separate platelets in a centrifuge. The platelets are then re-injected into the injured area, releasing growth factors that promote natural tissue healing.

Stem cell therapy is a completely different process of extracting rejuvenating cells. For the procedure, stem cells from either bone marrow or fat tissue used in conjunction with platelets. Stem cells from bone marrow, called autologous mesenchymal, produce cartilage and typically used in treating arthritic conditions and sports injuries. Stem cells from fat tissue are utilized with platelets to heal an osteoarthritic joint, for example, to regrow cartilage.

Remarkable results have come from PRP injections as well as stem cell therapy. Common injuries or conditions that are often improved with these treatments include:

To learn more about PRP injections and if you are a candidate for treatment, contact a Southwest Spine and Pain Center physician today.

If chronic pain is impacting your life, don't wait to schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. With three locations and growing, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center are dedicated to helping those who suffer from chronic pain live the life they want to! To schedule an appointment, visit our locations tab!

The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physicians advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.

Southwest Spine and Pain Center, 2014

Medical Marketing Solutions, 2014

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PRP vs Stem Cell Injections | Southwest Spine and Pain Center

At Utah Stem Cells, our goal is to help as many patients as possible to become pain free and achieve substantially improved functionality. We feel that our approach to musculoskeletal pain and disability is distinct from other non-surgical approaches because we treat an important cause of these ailments that is often overlooked joint regeneration of damaged tissues and tightening of ligament laxity. Utah Stem Cells specializes in an advanced form of prolotherapy, which is a relatively unfamiliar and under-utilized non-surgical treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. Prolotherapy has been practiced for over 80 years by a small but growing group of physicians with great results. Experienced doctors using Prolotherapy have had great success in eliminating many forms of musculoskeletal pain for a very long time.

In fact, in 1957, a low back study published in the Journal of American Medical Association showed a cure rate of 82% with no recurrence of pain in a 14 year follow-up (http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1153924#References). This fact is even more impressive considering a recent study showed only 20% of all back surgeries are considered to be successful after 2 years, and 10-40% of patients suffer from long term complications from failed back surgery syndrome. Back surgery is the second-leading surgical procedure performed in the U.S. with approximately 500,000 surgeries performed annually.

Prolotherapy stimulates the body to repair the painful injured area(s) when the bodys natural healing process is not able to do the job on its own. Prolotherapy is an accurate injection of a non-toxic substance into the injured tissue, which causes a temporary and purposeful therapeutic inflammation. The resultant inflammation initiates a beneficial healing cascade causing an increase in blood supply, growth factors, and stem cells. This eventually produces an increase in collagen that essentially grows stronger tissues and cartilage.

Prolotherapy has the unique ability to treat not only the pain, but the cause of the pain. This results in permanent stabilization of the joint and, therefore, an end to pain and weakness-all without drugs, surgery, scar tissue, anesthesia or side effects.

Are the Injections Painful?

When done by a skilled practitioner, patients tolerate the procedure well. Because there is local anesthetic in the solution, patients may feel an initial relief of pain immediately following the treatment. As you may have read, Dr. Greenberg was able to self-administer his injections to heal himself of pain sustained from a car accident.

Because Prolotherapy induces inflammation, patients may experience a mild swelling and stiffness after treatments and should avoid any particularly heavy-duty exertion for the duration. Otherwise, they are able to pursue their normal lives and work schedules in between sessions.

How Long Until I See Results?

Each situation is unique and the length of treatment depends on a number of factors: nutritional status, ability to heal, overall health and the severity of the injury. Prolotherapy treatments are administered on an individual basis, every two to three weeks on average. Some patients may experience complete relief from pain and restoration of function after only one or two treatments.

In general, one single Stem Cell treatment is needed in all joints. In rare occasions a follow up PRP treatment might be beneficial to bring the patients pain level to 0. It can take up to six weeks after the injection for the body to complete the healing process. These are general estimates and actual healing time depends on the severity of the injury, the chronicity of the injury, and the persons individual genetics for healing.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a revolutionary regenerative medicine procedure in which a substance derived from patients own blood is used to speed the healing and alleviate pain caused by a variety of musculoskeletal issues. This substance contains healing factors and bioactive proteins called growth factors and cell markers. These cells are vital for tissue regeneration and repair. With advanced techniques, we can concentrate and process these regenerative healing cells in a simple outpatient setting.

The PRP can be injected alone or in combination with Stem Cells. Ideally, the first Prolotherapy treatment employed for the treatment of a damaged joint would include the combination of Stem Cells with PRP. Subsequent treatments may be necessary, and these follow-up Prolotherapy treatments are usually with PRP alone.

How Does PRP Therapy Work?

During PRP therapy, a small sample of the patients blood is drawn (similar to a lab test sample) and placed in a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds, separating the platelets from other blood components. The process takes less than 15 minutes and increases the concentration of platelets and growth factors up to 500% greater than levels found in your own blood. The concentrated Platelet Rich Plasma is then injected into and around the point of injury, strengthening the bodys natural healing agent.

What Are The Benefits of PRP?

If you have a tendon or ligament injury, arthritic joint, meniscus tear, rotator cuff injury, shoulder pain, or bursitis and traditional methods have not provided relief, then PRP therapy may be the solution. The procedure is less aggressive and less expensive than surgery. It heals tissue with minimal to no scarring. PRP can alleviate further degeneration of tissues and can lessen the severity of arthritis. There is very little downtime or recovery time and patients can resume their normal daily activities almost right away.

The Physiological Effects of PRP Injections Include:

Stem Cell therapy is a highly effective treatment in which stem cells are injected into an injured area. Stem cells are responsible for rebuilding and regenerating the body. They are living cells that are able to transform themselves into many different types of tissue, and are therefore able to differentiate into ligaments, tendons, bone, nerve, and cartilage.

When an injury occurs, it is the stem cells that are released and summoned by the body to rebuild damaged muscle, joints or cartilage. By injecting these stem cells directly into the damaged area, the doctor is able to assist and accelerate the bodys natural healing process.

At Utah Stem Cells Dr. Bill Cimikoski uses the cells from Amniotic sac and Umbilical Cord cells from a healthy live birth. Amniotic stem cells are collected from the amniotic sac during a scheduled C-section, from a healthy baby with donor approval from the mother. Amniotic stem cells are multipotent, which means they have the potential to differentiate into several different kinds of cells in the body. Umbilical Cord blood stem cells are collected from the cord blood right after the birth of a healthy baby, also with the approval of the donor mother. Cord blood stem cells are biologically younger and are more flexible compared to adult stem cells. They have less risk of complications, and are immediately available and can minimize disease progression in early treatment.

Link:
Stem Cell Joint Regeneration | Utah Stem Cells

The Transgenic and Gene Targeting Mouse Core is available to make transgenic mice using pronuclear injection of DNA constructs including BAC DNA into embryos. The Core is available to generate gene-targeted mice using knockout or conditional constructs electroporated into embryonic stem (ES) cells. This is followed by blastocyst injection of targeted ES cells to obtain germline chimeric mice eventually leading to the production of gene-targeted mice. The Transgenic and Gene Targeting Mouse Core offers related procedures including cryopreservation and storage of mouse sperm and mouse embryos, rederivation of mouse lines from frozen embryos, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to rederive frozen sperm, development of primary ES cell lines from targeted mouse lines, and karyotyping of ES clones.

The Core is available for technical advice regarding injection procedures, cell culture techniques, vector design and construction, as well as analysis of ES cell clones and mice. The Core is amenable to new ideas and available to try new methods that researchers are interested in. The Core maintains the necessary mouse colonies for basic procedures, including a large colony of C57Bl6 mice, albino C57Bl6 mice, C57Bl6 x CBA F1 mice. We also maintain a small colony of ROSA-flp mice in the C57Bl6 background, and CMV-cre deleter mice. The Core maintains 129 ES cells, 129/C57Bl6 hybrid ES cells, and C57Bl6 ES cells (N and J) for gene-targeting. Equipment includes two full microinjection stations and dissection microscopes with fluorescence imaging capabilities, Peizo drills, Femtojet injectors, an XYClone laser, pipette pullers, microforges, and a rate controlled embryo freezer.

The Core has successfully provided genetically altered mice to many University of Utah researchers as well as to researchers throughout the world. The Core has rederived mouse lines for researchers using frozen sperm and frozen embryos shipped from around the world.

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Transgenic Gene-Targeting Mouse Facility HSC Cores: Home

William Cimikoski, MD Medical Director of Utah Stem Cells, is a Medical Toxicologist that specializes in Stem Cell Joint Regeneration, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, Medical Aesthetics, and Medial Weight Loss. With seven years of medical Residency and Fellowship specialty training, he is a foremost authority featured Healthline TV, ABC News, Fox 13, CBS, KSL Studio 5, and Good Things Utah.

Dr. Cimikoski was born and raised in Fairfield County, CT, in the suburbs of Manhattan. As a youth, he excelled in several contact sports, including hockey, lacrosse, and soccer. By the time he was 17 years old, he had suffered multiple sports related knee injuries (on both knees) and underwent numerous surgeries, ultimately culminating in major reconstructive knee surgery during his senior year of high school. This essentially ended his participation in competitive contact sports and he started to pursue other passions in non-contact sports, including skiing and windsurfing. This is what brought him to the beautiful mountains of Utah where he could delight to his hearts content in the plentiful powdery snow.

He has completed seven years of specialty residency and fellowship training. He received his medical training at Brown University, where he did his Internship, followed by his Emergency Medicine Residency at Georgia Health Sciences University and Albany Medical Center. He also completed a Critical Care Fellowship in Medical Toxicology at Penn State University. To indulge his vice of windsurfing, he took a several year hiatus from the rat race and rigors of Emergency Medicine to work as a Ships Physician for Carnival Cruise Lines. While working for Carnival in 2004, he met his beautiful wife, Sarah (from Brazil), and they decided to settle in Utah in 2009 to start a family. They now have three young children under the age of six, two boys and a girl.

Because of his commitment to providing the very best in regenerative medicine and helping people get long lasting results, Dr. Cimikoski has sought and achieved designations beyond his academic background. He is one of the very few (less than 40 doctors in the USA) to have successfully obtained the designation of IROMC Certified, Interventional Regenerative Orthopaedic Medicine by the American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine. Furthermore, Dr. Cimikoski is one of a select few Doctors in the USA who have been personally trained by Dr. Charles Runels, the inventor of the Vampire procedures. With his toxicology background, Dr. Cimikoski is able to combine the Vampire Procedures with Amniotic and Umbilical Cord Stem Cells to offer even more pronounced and long-lasting results.

Dr. Cimikoski is keenly aware of the perils associated with osteoarthritis and orthopedic injuries, due to his own experiences and interest related to these debilitating processes. He is an exceptionally accomplished fitness and nutrition expert. This, coupled with his Medical Toxicology background, makes him uniquely qualified to provide the very best health care, and optimize his patients potential through the use of Bioidentical Hormones, Stem Cell Joint Regeneration, Medical Aesthetics, and Medical Weight Loss Management.He is pleased and eager to offer these innovative services with Utah Stem Cells, a new concept in medical healthcare wellness.

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About Us | Utah Stem Cells

Fasting has long-held associations with mental and bodily repair, from religionasceticism to detox diets. A new study points to one reason fasting may be good for our bodies, with evidence that a 24-hour gap in eating can flick a metabolic switch for regeneration in our digestive system.

By studying the effects of fasting on mice, a team of researchers at MIT found that just one day of calorie restriction substantially improves the ability for stem cells in the intestine to regenerate. Not only does this underline the beneficial effects of short periods of fasting, but it could also pave the way for drugs that stimulate the effects in cancer patients.

As we get older, our intestinal cells get worse at regenerating, meaning our bodies are less able to fight off infections and diseases in our gut. In the fasting mice, however, cells began to break down fatty acids instead of glucose. This stimulated the stem cells to become more regenerative.

This study provided evidence that fasting induces a metabolic switch in the intestinal stem cells, from utilising carbohydrates to burning fat, says David Sabatini, an MIT professor of biology and senior author of the paper, published in Cell Stem Cell.

Interestingly, switching these cells to fatty acid oxidation enhanced their function significantly. Pharmacological targeting of this pathway may provide a therapeutic opportunity to improve tissue homeostasis in age-associated pathologies.

(Intestinal organoidsfrom mice that fasted for 24 hours (R) and from mice that did not fast (L).Credit: Maria Mihaylova and Chia-Wei Cheng)

The scientists took samples of the mices intestinal cells after a period of 24-hour fasting, then grew them in the lab to determine their ability to produce an organoid, in this case a kind of mini-intestine. They found that the regenerative capacity of the mice that had fasted was double that of mice that hadnt fasted.

It was very obvious that fasting had this really immense effect on the ability of intestinal crypts to form more organoids, which is stem-cell-driven, said lead author, Maria Mihaylova. This was something that we saw in both the young mice and the aged mice, and we really wanted to understand the molecular mechanisms driving this.

To glean the reasons for the increased regeneration, the researchers sequenced the messenger RNA of the stem cells, and found that fasting flips a switch by activating transcription factors called PPARs, which turned on genes involved with metabolising fatty acids. The result is the cell metabolises fatty acids instead of carbohydrates.

Crucially, the scientists found they could imitate this effect with a molecule that mimics the effects of the PPARs. This suggests that drug treatment could one day be developed to similarly flip the metabolic switch, and help regeneration in the intestine. This could have massive benefits for the elderly, and for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, which tends to harm cells in the digestive system.

In a beautiful set of experiments, the authors subvert the system by causing [] metabolic changes without fasting and see similar effects, says Jared Rutter, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Utah School of Medicine, who wasnt involved in the research.

This work fits into a rapidly growing field that is demonstrating that nutrition and metabolism [have] profound effects on the behavior of cells and this can predispose for human disease.

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Fasting for 24 hours regenerates stem cells, study finds ...