Pensum Regenerative Medicine blog

Adult mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs] are multipotent stromal cells that can give rise to several cell types such as bone, muscle, cartilage, fat, and other tissues. They are believed to be responsible for growth, wound healing and replacing cells that are lost through daily wear and tear and pathological conditions.

Mesenchymal stem cells are considered an ideal cell source for transplantation. They have met with good success in alleviating hard to treat degenerative, autoimmune and pulmonary [lung] diseases. Furthermore, they help repair muscle, bone, cartilage and tendons. They also help to slow down the degenerative effects of aging. The safety and feasibility of MSC-based therapies have been demonstrated in clinical trials for many diseases, including heart, osteoarthritis, bone and cartilage injuries, diabetes, spinal cord injury, respiratory disorders, Crohn’s disease, autoimmune disease and others.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/treatments-and-science/mesenchymal-stem-cells-mscs

What do stem cells, elephants and longevity have to do with each other?

The answer is the p-53 gene.**

Could the elephant hold some of the secrets of longevity? The elephant is an animal with great longevity and yet, scientifically speaking, this bucks the trends of nature.  Typically, the more cells an animal has, the more likely that a cancer or some other serious medical problem will arise and thus shorten lifespan.  Yet the opposite is true for elephants, certain species of whales, and a host of other animals that have extreme longevity.  For these animals, the common thread is improved DNA repair and cell cycle regulation to prevent DNA damage that accumulates during the course of their lives.  The secret may be that these animals have extra amounts of the P-53 protein.  This protein controls repair which in turn promotes longevity and resistance to age-related diseases.

Of course, P-53 does not work in isolation.  There exist a number of common threads, a very important one of which is telomeres.  Telomeres are the ends or tails of the DNA in all cells.  Every time our cells reproduce the telomere gets shorter until a certain critical length is achieved.  This critical length sets off a number of reactions as demonstrated in the following diagram, a unified theory of aging.  This diagram speaks of the work of Dr. Ron DePinho and comes from an article about a good friend, Dr. William Andrews. Dr. Andrews is on a quest to find substances which stimulate telomerase, an enzyme that can arrest or even reverse the shortening of telomere length.

Source Link : https://www.pensummed.pro/blogs/p-53-protein-a-natural-sentry

In the diagram, we see one aspect on how we can increase stem cell numbers in some of our procedures in a safe and efficient way. We are constantly looking for ways to increase the stem cell output from bone marrow. We know all too well that most of the regenerative cells that we inject into the joint typically survive for only a short period of time. Their release of growth factors is what gives the various signals for more cells to visit the area or, just as importantly, for some of the neighboring cells to help accomplish repair. It becomes a numbers game. The more cells we have in circulation the better chance we have to achieve success. Now, if we are able to find a medication that can increase stem cell numbers and at the same time have an effect on the health of the cartilage then we have something special. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) may be just the ticket.

For a number of years now, we have been using a clone of Parathyroid hormone (PTH). Another PTH clone is known as Forteo. Forteo is used in the treatment of Osteoporosis. We are actually using another analog clone of PTH which has given us considerable cost-savings and at the same time may work better. We first started using PTH as a stimulator of Very Small Embryonic Like Stem Cells (see V-Cell Page). There is a receptor on the V-cell surface that seems to stimulate these cells when the PTH binds to the cell membrane. It appeared to activate these V-cells.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/blogs/parathyroid-hormone

Most broadly, Regenerative Medicine can be described as, “building missing or damaged tissues and organs through the application of bioengineering principles or cell technology or both”.  Plainly, this encompasses stem cells.

Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves and become many other types of cell.  They are a natural repair and regeneration system that allows us to recover from injury and disease.The three principal categories for consideration are omnipotent, pluripotent and multipotent stem cells.

Omnipotent Stem Cells
[also called totipotent] stem cells can give rise to any cell, including the potential to create an entire organism. 

Pluripotent Stem Cells
stem cells can give rise to any cell present in the body but they do not have the potential to create an entire organism.

Multipotent Stem Cells
stem cells arise when pluripotent stem cells are further differentiated to give rise to cells that are more specialized, often with a specific limited range of functions.

Source Link : https://www.pensummed.pro/treatments-and-science/stem-cell-treatment-and-overview

What is PRP?

PRP can be described as autologous blood, centrifuged to remove most red blood cells, with concentrations of platelets above baseline levels, which contains at least seven growth factors and other cytokines that can stimulate healing of soft tissue and joints.

In short, blood is drawn, spun in a centrifuge, separated, activated and reinjected into a target area.  For maximum effect, there are additional refinements, some of which are referred to below.

Common Conditions Treated With PRP

• Disorders of the shoulder including bursitis and rotator cuff tears
• Disorders of the spine especially facet joints.
• Mild to moderate degenerative arthritis of various joints.
• Muscle tears, sprains, trigger points
• Meniscus tears of the knee
• Tendonitis of a variety of tendons including tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis, and heel spur syndrome

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/treatments-and-science/platelet-rich-plasma-prp-therapy

The adult pluripotent stem cell treatment we offer uses VSELs, [Very Small Embryonic Like Stem Cells] also referred to as V-Cells.  They are also called peripheral blood stem cells, blastomeres or stembios cells.  Formed in bone marrow, they are approximately 1/3rd the size of other adult stem cells and are non-tumorigenic.  These cells are so small that they have the capacity to reach the parts that other cells cannot reach, including crossing the blood-brain barrier.  They normally circulate in peripheral blood through our body in an inactive form and activation only occurs when our body faces extreme stress such as low oxygen, low body temperature or significant injuries.  They have also been described as primordial adult stem cells that in some ways are close to being omnipotent.

Our procedure is to draw blood and then separate the V-Cells from other cells using state of the art cell processing technology.  The cells are then activated using certain proprietary means including the use of light and temperature.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/treatments-and-science/vsels-very-small-embryonic-like-stem-cells-or-v-cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are another type of cell we are utilizing.  These cells are found in bone marrow, fat and circulating in the blood.  They produce blood cells (white and red blood cells), blood vessels, and also help guide tissue regeneration by helping direct other cells to accomplish repair.  Think of blood vessels as a supply line and stem cells as an army.  An army will cease to exist without a supply line.  HSCs are true workers with an added bonus that they can also morph into other types of cell in a process called plasticity.  HSCs are more powerful drivers of tissue regeneration than mesenchymal stem cells and, unlike mesenchymal stem cells (in the marrow), the number of hematopoietic stem cells does not diminish greatly with age.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/treatments-and-science/hematopoietic-stem-cells-hscs

Cytokines, also known as growth factors, are tiny cell-signalling protein molecules secreted by various cells and utilized widely in intercellular communication. They may be classified as peptides, proteins, or glycoproteins and you might think of them a bit like the body's mobile phone system. Proper cytokine cell signaling can make the difference between success and failure of treatments, given that imbalance in the body is responsible for most disease processes.

We have been using cytokines with stem cell and PRP treatments for some time now and believe their use has caused a quantum leap in efficacy of the treatments we offer.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/treatments-and-science/cytokine-therapy

Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones to the point where they break easily—most often, bones in the hip, spine, and wrist. Osteoporosis is called a “silent disease” because you may not notice any changes until a bone breaks. All the while, though, your bones had been losing strength for many years. Some risk factors for osteoporosis such as being older and female or having a family history of the condition cannot be avoided. But others can, like smoking cigarettes, consuming alcohol, taking certain medications, or being exposed to environmental pollutants. But until now researchers haven't gained a firm picture of how these exposures link up with bone loss. But now the fog is begging to lift. We now know that these environmental hazards seem to affect a very important of genes called the Sirtuin genes which ultimately affect the mitochondria.

Recently, in my reading I discovered some very interesting articles. It now appears the one of the main causes of Osteoporosis may be damage to mitochondria. The mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cells. They help produce energy of the cell in the form of ATP. We are now aware that many of the diseases of aging are related to mitochondria damage and degeneration. The following is a diagram of the mitochondria and its relationship to the rest of the cell.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/blogs/nad-osteoporosis-senescent-cells-and-stem-cells-the-final-frontier-in-osteoporosis

At one time it was thought that there was little if any relationship between Senescent Cells and NAD supplements. We now know that this is far from the truth. Remember that the senescent cells are cells that should have died but continue to survive. By surviving they cause a multitude of problems. Senescent cells are believed to contribute to numerous age-associated diseases. Senescent cells are becoming a hot topic in the field of Regenerative Medicine. We now know they may be responsible for many of the failures in cellular therapy. Senescent cells are believed to contribute to numerous age-associated diseases. By the same token we now know that NAD, the supplement, is extremely important in general well-being and success in cellular therapy.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/blogs/nad-and-cell-senescence-are-these-two-entities-on-a-collision-course

The American Academy of Stem Cell Physicians (AAOSCP) is honored to announce that Dr. Joseph Purita, a pioneer in the use of Stem Cell and PRP therapy for orthopedic conditions, has been awarded the prestigious “Stem Cell Scientist Physician Award.” Dr. Purita received this honor at the AAOSCP’s recent Scientific Congress and Workshop at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami, Florida, held over May 3-5, 2019. The event featured 40+ world-class speakers, integrated the use of live patients, and included three days of interactive workshops with small participant-to-instructor ratios.

A.J. Farshchian MD, a spokesman for the American Academy of Stem cell Physicians, said, “This was a well-deserved award. Dr Purita is way ahead of his colleagues in the field of stem cells. He wrote all the questions for the American Academy of Stem Cell Physicians board examination and is currently one of the most successful orthopedic regenerative scientists.”

Dr. Purita’s Leadership in Stem Cells & PRP Therapy for Orthopedic Conditions

As background, Dr. Joseph Purita graduated from Georgetown University Medical School and served his surgical internship at the University of Florida Medical Center. Following completion of a residency in orthopedic surgery at University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital, he served as the Chief Administrative Resident. Dr. Purita joined the Boca Raton Orthopedic Group nearly 40 years ago in 1981.

Dr. Purita is also a member of a diverse range of professional organizations, including but not limited to: Southern Medical Association, Palm Beach Medical Society, Broward County Medical Society, Palm Beach Orthopedic Society, Florida Medical Association, International Cartilage Repair Society, American Academy of Regenerative Medicine (founding member), and American Academy of Anti-Aging.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/blogs/dr-joseph-purita-receives-stem-cell-scientist-physician-award

"Our health is only as good as our immune system"

Consider three questions:

• Is aging a chronic disease process?
• Does that disease process have a common cause?
• If so, is there a common remedy?

Now consider the facts:

Adult stem cells repair injured and diseased tissues and constantly replace worn-out normal tissues. However, as we age, there is a chronic decline in self-repair, starting from when we are quite young. In other words, aging is the result of a steady progressive decline in stem cell function, giving rise to the need for anti-aging stem cell treatments.

There is broad consensus that there exists a wide range of diseases associated with aging, particularly cancer, degenerative, auto-immune, neurological and cognitive diseases. The corollary question, therefore, is this, “Is there a common thread to all these age-related diseases?”

We are aware that one of the common threads of aging is inflammation which seems to be at the root of many of the afflictions as we age. Inflammation rears its ugly head in many different fashions by affecting many different pathways in the body. These pathways control the fate of certain genes which can either be turned on or off, depending on the stimulus. These same genes can control our destiny. They can encourage many diseases or can prevent many diseases.

Source link : https://www.pensummed.pro/anti-aging-stem-cell-treatments