Stem Cells: The Light of Pure Love!

“Love is light, no matter in what abode it dwelleth…” ~ Abdu’l-Baha

Mesenchymal Stem cells are the basics of life. They house pure light created from the essence of love. Derived from umbilical cord blood and cord tissue of live newborns, untainted, pure, and potent, mesenchymal (MSC) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) have the potential to repair and regenerate cells, neurons, bones, joints, skin, blood and tissues and to slow inflammaging (inflammation and aging) beyond our imagination (6,9, 11)

Unlike adult stem cells found in fat and bones of adults, mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord blood are simple, yet sophisticated, potent, highly undifferentiated, unaffected by aging, and bioavailable, making them prime candidates for cellular regeneration and repair, anti-aging, anti- inflammatory, and immune modulating (2,6,9, 11). MSC’s have a high safety rate according to multiple studies (7).

What are Mesenchymal Stem Cells?

Mesenchymal stem cells are the first group of cells after the fertilization of the egg. These initial multipotent cells are capable of renewing themselves and have the capacity to differentiate into a variety of tissue including bone, nervous system, and organs (1). Mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue (Wharton’s jelly), along with the hematopoietic cells (stem cells of the blood), are highly concentrated, bioavailable, and pure (11). They often are collected from consented donor and therefore, are categorized as allogeneic stem cells.

MSC, derived from cord blood, express genes to support their expansion in various tissues (2, 9). Allogeneic cells from blood cord or tissue have not yet acquired HLA typing yet and as such, they do not present any risk for Graft vs Host Disease (GVHD) when used as therapy, in comparison to the risks associated with HLA typing of adult blood. Because they are void of HLA typing, MSC and HSC may be dispensed to possible candidates with any blood type and have been shown to be safe (7,8).

How Are Allogeneic MSCs and HSCs Harvested?

Allogeneic MSCs and HSCs are harvested from infants whose parents have been placed through extensive medical testing and family history collection, and who have consented to the voluntary donation of their live baby’s cord products and associated stem cells for the progress of medicine. Cord blood is a promising source for MSC and HSC (3). After further testing for infections, genetic diseases, etc, the donated umbilical cord and blood may be accepted for stem cell therapy. A high rate of donated umbilical cord products are rejected due to either unhealthy family or medical history of parents and baby, infections, or other factors which may place recipients at risk.

What are Autologous Stem Cells?

In contrast to MSC and HSC from umbilical cord products, adult stem cells found in adult adipose tissue and adult bone, are differentiated, deteriorated through aging, and scarce in their concentration and purity, limiting their regenerative capacities. Harvested adult stem cells have acquired HLA typing and contain aged MSC. Because of the acquired HLA typing, adult stem cells are mainly used for the same individual from whom the cells were collected (called autologous stem cells). Harvesting autologous stem cells from one’s own bone marrow or adipose tissue poses its own risks, though it does provide some MSCs, albeit at a lower concentration and potency than those harvested from cord blood or cord tissue (4).

What is More Viable: MSCs from Cord Products or From Adult Bone & Fat?

There is a balance in the body between tissue deterioration and rebuilding with stem cells. When deterioration happens faster than stem cells can repair, aging occurs (5). It is clear that as we age, so do our stem cells (10). As aging occurs, stem cells deteriorate, the mitochondrial dysfunction sets in, and stem cells become less functional, less viable and less reliable. Therefore, MSCs from adult bone and fat possess less regenerative power than MSCs from umbilical cord blood and tissue, because adult derived MSCs have aged and are less bioavailable as compared to the young naive cells of umbilical cord products.

Where Do We Acquire Our Stem Cells From?

Many companies who claim to collect, harvest and purify MSC and HSC from umbilical cord products do not have the advanced technology to harvest and purify these cells to yield a highly viable and concentrated final product. They may also not have the integrity and ethical practices deemed necessary for a patient’s complete recovery. Holistique partners only with companies which not only have shown integrity by means of their historical and scientific experience, research, and relations but also which continually advance and use state-of-the art technology and products, have ethical practices, and continue to prove themselves to be excellent after extensive third party testing and FDA-regulations and audits. Currently, we are working with Leo Corps to provide the most viable, bioavailable, safe and ethically sourced MSCs/HSCs derived from umbilical cord blood and tissue possible.

Conclusion

Mesenchymal stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue are proving to provide the most concentrated, bioavailable, and undifferentiated cells for use in regenerative medicine. We have so much more research and learning to do about the benefits and regenerative power of these special cells of creation as potential and transformative healing tools.

References:

1a Abdu’l-Baha. Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha.

1,2 Rodríguez-Fuentes, D. E, et al, (2021). Mesenchymal Stem Cells Current Clinical Applications: A Systematic Review. Archives of Medical Research. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.08.006

3 Reimann V, Creutzig U, Kögler G. Stem cells derived from cord blood in transplantation and regenerative medicine. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2009; 106(50): 831-836.

4 Prządka, Przemysław, et al. “The Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Mscs) in Veterinary Medicine and Their Use in Musculoskeletal Disorders.” Biomolecules, vol. 11, no. 8, 2021, p. 1141., https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11081141.

5 Ullah, M., Sun, Z. Stem cells and anti-aging genes: double-edged sword—do the same job of life extension. Stem Cell Res Ther 9, 3 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-017-0746-4

6 Anthony A. Oliva, et al. Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapy: A regenerative medicine approach to geroscience. Sept 2019.

7 L Von Bahr et al. Analysis of tissues following mesenchymal stomal cell therapy in humans indicates limited long-term engraftment and no ectopic tissue formation. Stem cells. 2012 Jul;30(7): 1575-8.

8 Ines Bojanic et al. [Umbilical cord blood as a source of stem cells] [Article in Croatian] Jun;60(3):215-25

9 Yu Han et al. Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine. Cells. 2019 Aug;8(80:886. PMID:31412678

10 Abu Shufian Ishtiaq et al. Effect of aging on stem cells. World J Exp Med. 2017 Feb 20;7(1):1-10. Published online 2017 Feb 20. PMID: 28261550

11 A. Marmotti et al. Allogeneic Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Potential Source for Cartilage and Bone Regeneration: An In Vitro Study. Stem Cells Int. 2017; 2017: 1732094.Published online 2017 Nov 16. doi: 10.1155/2017/1732094 PMID: 29358953