Stem cell educator
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This article relies on references to primary sources. (February 2013) |
The stem cell educator is a device that is claimed to change or "re-educate" the behavior of human immune cells by placing the subjects cells in close proximity to stem cells, so as to alleviate or cure certain autoimmune diseases.
Device
Cord blood-derived multipotent stem cells (CB-SCs) are isolated from human cord blood[1][2] and act as educators for the patient's immune cells in the chamber. The hydrophobic material from (USP Class VI) plastic Petri dishes tightly binds CB-SCs without interfering with their immune modulating capability.
The chamber for co-culture of lymphocytes and CB-SCs includes nine discs of the material with adherent CB-SCs sandwiched between a top cover plate and a bottom collecting plate.[1]
Applications
A Phase I/II open-label trial of stem cell educator therapy was completed in February 2012 for possible use treating type 2 diabetes.[3]
A single treatment is reported to cause safe and lasting improvement in the patient's own control of blood sugar and hence the practical treatment of type 1 diabetes, by reducing autoimmune attack on the islets of Langerhans cells that produce insulin.[4]
References
- ^ a b Yong Zhao, Honglan Wang, Theodore Mazzone (2006 Aug 1). "Identification of stem cells from human umbilical cord blood with embryonic and hematopoietic characteristics". Exp Cell Res 312 (13): 2454–2464. doi:10.1016/j.yexcr.2006.04.008. PMID 16716296.
- ^ Yong Zhao, Theodore Mazzone (2010 December). "Human cord blood stem cells and the journey to a cure for type 1 diabetes.". Autoimmun Rev 10 (2): 103–107. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2010.08.011. PMID 20728583.
- ^ "Stem cell educator therapy in type 2 diabetes". NCT01415726. U.S. National Institutes of Health. February 16, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ^ Yong Zhao, Zhaoshun Jiang, Tingbao Zhao, Mingliang Ye, Chengjin Hu, Zhaohui Yin, Heng Li, Ye Zhang, Yalin Diao, Yunxiang Li, Yingjian Chen, Xiaoming Sun, Mary B Fisk, Randal Skidge, Mark Holterman, Bellur Prabhakar and Theodore Mazzone (2012). "Reversal of type 1 diabetes via islet β cell regeneration following immune modulation by cord blood-derived multipotent stem cells". BMC Medicine 10 (3). doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-3. PMC 3322343. PMID 22233865.
