Ali Modarressi: We have high hopes for human stem cells

Stem cells are of great interest to doctors of all specialties, and especially to specialists in the field of aesthetic medicine. Stem cells can give rise to any tissue of the human body. In this connection, their use opens up great opportunities in anti-aging medicine. More information about regenerative technologies and stem cells especially for readers of estet-portal.com was told by MD, member of the Swiss Society for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (SSCPRE), the International Federation of Adipose Therapists and Sciences (IFATS) and the European Society for Surgical Research (ESSR) Ali Modarressi), Switzerland.

Do you use human stem cells in plastic surgery?

We have high hopes for stem cells. Of course, patients would not refuse stem cell therapy, but today we do not use them. At the moment, we are using regenerative technologies, namely, special cells that help tissues recover. We use adipose tissue grafts as well as platelet rich plasma, but not specifically stem cells. Fat grafts allow us to increase the volume of tissues, for example, when filling the nasolabial folds. And they are also effective after radiation therapy to improve the quality of the skin.

Are you talking about autotransplantation?

Yes, we take tissue from a patient, it can be adipose tissue or blood, and inject it back into the same patient. It is a very good experience as the procedure is safe and we have no problems with tissue rejection.

Does the patient's age affect the number of stem cells?

Of course, with age, a person has fewer stem cells, and many studies confirm this. But we have no other choice, we should use the tissue that the patient has. It is likely that the efficiency of using young tissues is higher, but we cannot inject cells from young patients into older ones.

Can stem cells be obtained from blood?

There are not as many stem cells in the blood as there are in the bone marrow, which is the source of all blood cells. Basically, in terms of the number of stem cells, we compare bone marrow and adipose tissue, since it is known that it contains 1000 times more stem cells than Bone marrow. So when you get liposuction, you're just getting rid of your stem cells.

More than 14 million stem cells are contained in 1000 ml of adipose tissue.

We prefer to use adipose tissue because it is easier to obtain, the procedure is not as painful as bone marrow, and as a result, it contains more stem cells.

What do you think of stem cells grown in cell cultures?

To grow stem cells, we need to put them in cell culture. It is not known what will happen to them: they can either become cancerous or completely differentiated. Therefore, today it is forbidden to use stem cells that are grown using cell cultures. We use them for education, clinical trials and safety monitoring.

How are embryonic stem cells different?

We have different stem cells, different levels of differentiation. For example, embryonic cells are totipotent, meaning they can give rise to any cell in our body. Adult stem cells — pluripotent, cells of the second level of differentiation, they give rise to only one type of cell. If we take them from adipose tissue, then adipocytes and other elements of adipose tissue can be grown from them.

Is it better to use human embryonic stem cells?

First and foremost, the use of embryonic cells is an ethical issue. Second, these cells can differentiate into many tissues.

Embryonic cells are totipotent and can give rise to many tissues, but their differentiation cannot be controlled.

The problem is that today we don't know how to program these cells to get a specific tissue. For example, by placing fetal stem cells in the breast area, one can grow bone, hair, and more.

What do you think about the use of human stem cells in aesthetic medicine?

As I said, there is a lot of hope in stem cells. In the future, we will use them, but today in aesthetic medicine this area is underdeveloped. The ethics committee can take risks in the absence of a hundred percent guarantee of safety, for example, when it comes to the treatment of autoimmune diseases. But in the field of aesthetic medicine there are no serious studies showing the effectiveness and safety of the use of human stem cells.

What trends in regenerative medicine can we expect in the future?

In the future, I think tissue engineering will develop. If a person loses an ear or nose – it will be possible to create new tissue from his own stem cells, placing them on a matrix and creating a new organ. Another option is cell therapy, in which stem cells are injected. People want to get the effect of rejuvenation by injecting cells into a vein. However, there is no evidence of the safety and effectiveness of such a procedure. There were even negative incidents in connection with which the US closed & nbsp; some clinics.