Cell technology is one of the most promising and at the same time controversial “hot” issues of modern biology and medicine. Each of us has stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells. These cells are easiest to detect and isolate in young people and children. But even older people have them, though in much smaller quantities (for comparison: a person aged 60-70 years old has one stem cell per 5-8 million cells, an embryo has one per ten thousand).
By type, stem cells are divided into hematopoietic (capable of transforming only into blood cells) and mesenchymal (arising from the embryonic sheet of mesenchyme and are the progenitors of almost all types of cells).
Mesenchymal stem cells
Clinics specializing in cell technologies use only the third group of cells – mesenchymal mature stem cells: they are less active, differentiate only into full cells of affected tissues and organs. It is mesenchymal stem cells that have shown the highest versatility and efficiency as a promising cellular raw material for growing organs. For example, Japanese scientists transplanted arteries grown from their own stem cells to 42 children with vascular malformations in the thoracic cavity, and in Germany (Munich) a research group led by Dr. Sodian achieved significant success in growing heart valves from stem cells. In 2008, a sensational operation was performed in Spain – a 30-year-old woman was transplanted with a trachea section grown from her own stem cells, and in 2010 a similar operation was performed on a British boy.
The procedure of cell therapy with mesenchymal stem cells includes 3 stages:
- collection of biological material (adipose tissue or bone marrow) under local anesthesia;
- cultivation of cells and obtaining a pure cell culture (about 200 million cells);
- injection of the obtained cell mass intravenously (as a regular drip) or in combination with mesotherapeutic (intradermal) injection into the area of damaged body parts.
Mesenchymal stem cells against skin aging
Stem cells eliminate skin pigmentation, scars, the effects of chemicals, and lasers. Wrinkles, acne spots disappear, skin tone improves.
It is known that skin aging, in particular, a decrease in its turgor and elasticity, is largely due to a decrease in the number of young and mature fibroblasts. Young skin contains a large number of functionally active fibroblasts, which provide constant renewal and replenishment of collagen fibers and glycosaminoglycan gel – the main structural components of the skin intercellular substance.
In the process of skin aging, the renewal of dermal intercellular substance, collagen and glycosaminoglycans synthesis are significantly slowed down. As a result, the dermal layer of the skin thins, it loses moisture, which gradually leads to a decrease in its elasticity and firmness. Based on these observations, approaches using autologous skin fibroblasts, autologous mesenchymal stem cells isolated from adipose tissue, or allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells isolated from placenta/umbilical cord have been proposed to eliminate signs of skin aging.
Principle of work
The basic principle of skin rejuvenation with autologous fibroblasts is as follows: to deliver to aging skin more actively functioning young cells that are capable of synthesizing collagen and glycosaminoglycans. Unfortunately, autologous fibroblasts have a low proliferative potential, especially cultures of these cells isolated from the skin of elderly donors. From this point of view, in order to achieve the maximum possible revitalizing effect, it is necessary to use younger cells, such as mesenchymal stem cells isolated from placenta/umbilical cord or adipose tissue.
Thus, it was shown that after a session of mesotherapy to eliminate signs of skin aging using cellular material based on mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human placenta/umbilical cord, skin elasticity increased by 15-26%, and the effect persisted for 3-8 months, depending on the age of the patient and the initial state of the skin.
Numerous clinical studies on skin revitalization using stem cells have shown that intradermal injection of cellular material is safe, stimulates microcirculation, skin elasticity and improves its structure.
Effect of stem cells on body repair
Skin aging, manifested as wrinkles and loss of elasticity, is only an external sign of aging of the body. However, the aging process also affects the internal organs, which also need to be renewed. Revitalization is aimed not only at improving the appearance of the skin, but also at restoring the body as a whole.
It is important to realize that stem cells do not perform miracles that are often expected from rejuvenation procedures. After their introduction, there will be no instant facelift or disappearance of deep wrinkles. This process works in a different way:
- Stem cells activate the body’s internal resources, stimulating it to renew itself.
- They promote regeneration at the cellular level, which in youth occurs naturally without intervention.
- Later in life, these processes require help to maintain, which is what stem cells provide.
Adding to the procedure of intravenous injection of mesenchymal stem cells (twice at two-month intervals) local injection of the problem areas contributes to the revitalization of the whole body. This leads to a more pronounced and long-lasting rejuvenating effect, which can be evaluated not earlier than six months after the completion of the treatment course.
Medical approach and pharmacoeconomics
Joint directed activity of plastic surgeons and clinics dealing with cell technologies during liposuction procedure is also of interest in cosmetology, because autofatty is one of the sources of mesenchymal stem cells, and it would be possible to carry out material intake during this procedure.
Stem cell injection is not an ordinary technique, not a salon procedure, but part of medical cosmetology, so it should be carried out strictly in a specialized clinic with a good reputation. The best age acceptable for the procedure of rejuvenation – from 35-40 years old.
The procedure of treatment with mesenchymal stem cells from the pharmacoeconomic point of view is an expensive procedure, but it includes the collection of material, cultivation, storage, purification, cell injection. The approach to cell therapy should be not only as a “stem cell treatment”, but also as a treatment of the body’s own cells, which allows not only to affect certain areas of the body separately, but also to increase the functional activity of the whole organism and optimize the processes of natural regulation of vital activity, which, as a consequence, will affect the prolongation of youth and the patient’s ability to live a long active comfortable lifestyle.
