Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation
For years, the concept of harvesting stem cells and re-implanting them into one's own body to regenerate organs and tissues has been embraced and researched in animal models. In particular, mesenchymal stem cells have been shown in animal models to regenerate cartilage. Recently, there have been several published case reports of successful cartilage growth in human knees using autologous cultured mesenchymal stem cells. In addition, an n=229 safety study has also been published showing safety better than surgical alternatives for this cultured cell injection procedure at a 3 year follow-up. An advantage to this approach is that a person's own stem cells are used, avoiding transmission of genetic diseases.
Read more about this topic: Knee Cartilage Replacement Therapy
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