Stem cells are cells that haven’t been assigned a specific task in the body. At Stem Cell Institute, we focus our stem cell treatment and research on adult stem cells, and exclusively use mesenchymal stem cells, called Golden Cells™, to treat a variety of health conditions.
Our Golden Cells™ were identified by our lab based on an extensive retrospective analysis of patient outcomes. These unique cells have been found to produce superior results for patients who travel to Panama City, Panama for treatment.
What Are Stem Cells?
Most cells in the human body have a particular function, making them specialized cells. Stem cells are what are known as undifferentiated cells, meaning that they haven’t been assigned a specific task. Unlike other differentiated cells, stem cells can be developed into virtually any cell that the body may need. This makes them of special interest to doctors and researchers.
For some, they can help us to better understand how the body works and even why things go wrong. For others, stem cells may provide an opportunity to treat certain diseases and illnesses that are currently incurable. They can develop into muscle cells or even brain cells—plus they have the ability to repair damaged body tissues and organs.
As one of the leading stem cell therapy and research facilities, we work in close collaboration with physicians and universities all over the globe. Together, we have developed comprehensive stem cell treatment protocols for treating:
- Autism
- Cerebral palsy
- Heart failure
- Multiple sclerosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Spinal cord injuries
- Autoimmune diseases
We accomplish this through specially selected allogeneic human umbilical cord stem cells called Golden Cells™. Since 2006, we have performed 25,000+ stem cell procedures and look forward to performing many, many more.
To learn more about the conditions that we treat, click here!
Common Types of Adult Stem Cells
Stem Cell Institute has been researching, developing, and providing advanced stem cell therapies for over 15 years. We have accomplished this historically by harvesting, expanding, and administering adult stem cells from cord blood, bone marrow, and fat, and currently are only using cells derived from umbilical cords that have been donated after normal, healthy births and screened to American Association of Tissue Bank standards.
Two of the most common types of adult stem cells are:
- Mesenchymal stem cells
- Hematopoietic stem cells
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent, meaning that they can change into a closely related family of cells. This process is routinely accomplished in laboratories. MSCs can become at least three different tissues including:
- Bone
- Cartilage
- Fat
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) used for treatment may come from the patient (autologous, or self-derived) or from a donor (allogeneic). MSCs can be obtained from many tissues in the body, including fat, bone marrow, and umbilical cord. With their versatility, researchers hope that they will play a key role in addressing a wide variety of health problems in the future.
Like mesenchymal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent. Also known as blood stem cells, they can differentiate into:
- Red blood cells
- White blood cells
- Platelets
The strength and quality of the MSCs (Golden Cells™) we use form the basis of our research and treatments at Stem Cell Institute. We do not currently use any hematopoietic stem cells at our treatment center and laboratory.
Stem Cell Institute is one of the world’s leading stem cell therapy and research centers. Are you interested in an opportunity to change your life through stem cell therapy?
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What Specific Kind of Stem Cells Exist?
Scientific research about stem cells has been going on for years, which has resulted in several common types of stem cells that are used for treatment around the world. At Stem Cell Institute, we go to great lengths to provide the safest, highest quality treatments for our patients. There are currently thousands of clinical trials being done by stem cell researchers and doctors related to MSCs. But what are the differences between the types of stem cells?
Human Umbilical Cord Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUCT-MSC) are found in the umbilical cords of newborn babies. As with all post-natal cells, they are considered adult stem cells. These stem cells are separated from umbilical cord tissue that has been donated by mothers after normal, healthy births.
At Stem Cell Institute, we exclusively use HUCT-MSCs to treat our patients. Our Golden Cells™ are specially selected HUCT-MSC identified by our founder’s laboratory, Medistem Panama, that provide even better results than other types of HUCT-MSCs. These unique stem cells are separated and collected from umbilical cords, then they go through a comprehensive screening process so only the best cells are used for patient treatments. We also expand them into larger quantities at our lab under the strictest internationally-recognized standards.
These cells are known to aid in the:
- Reduction of inflammation
- Modulation of the immune system
- Production of factors that help regenerate various tissues
One of the biggest benefits of Golden Cells™ is their relationship with the immune system. Rather than seeing them as foreign bodies, the patient’s immune system accepts this type of stem cell transplant and allows them to work. One of the greatest benefits to Golden Cells™ is related to how young the cells are.
The amount of stem cells you have in your body naturally decline in number and robustness with age. Stem cells derived from umbilical cords are naturally superior due to the age of the cells themselves. Read more about how this works in Dr. Neil Riordan’s book Stem Cell Therapy – A Rising Tide: How Stem Cells Are Disrupting Medicine and Transforming Lives.
We have seen great success with our Golden Cells™. After over 25,000 procedures, we have yet to see a case where the body rejects them. Cells that were isolated in our Medistem Panama lab have been used as the starting material in clinical trials under an FDA IND for two patients suffering from Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy.
Bone Marrow Stem Cells
Since their discovery in the 1960s, bone marrow stem cells have been the most studied of all the different types of stem cells. They were originally used for bone marrow transplants, the treatment of hematopoietic diseases, and various forms of leukemia.
The experimental use of bone marrow stem cells has now expanded to:
- Diabetes
- Heart failure
- Peripheral vascular disease
At Stem Cell Institute, we no longer use bone marrow stem cells to treat our patients. Our Golden Cells™ have proven to provide a better chance for improvement in our patients than bone marrow stem cells.
Adipose Stem Cells
Adipose stem cells are those that have been derived from body fat. Because they are sequestered in body fat, these cells are usually isolated from the rest of the body, unavailable for use in bodily repair or regulating the immune system. Despite this fact, extracted fat stem cells have been successfully used for treating autoimmune conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, for the past 10 years. Stem Cell Institute’s own Neil Riordan, PA, PhD developed the first adipose stem cell treatment for systemic immune system modulation in 2008.
Recent studies confirm Dr. Riordan’s early research, showing that adipose stem cells hold promising potential for regenerative medicine. This is thanks to their ability to suppress pathological immune responses in autoimmune diseases as well as promote tissue development.
In the past, Stem Cell Institute was at the forefront of using fat-derived stem cells to treat:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Osteoarthritis
However, we have moved away from using patients’ own adipose stem cells. We have determined that HUCT-MSCs have been found to be more beneficial at regulating the immune system, managing inflammation, and promoting tissue growth in our patients.
Golden Cells™
Over the years, we noticed that some patients experienced outcomes far superior to the norm. This prompted us to perform a retrospective analysis to see what, if anything, they had in common. What we found astonished us — the majority of our most successful cases were almost completely limited to six cell lines (cells that multiply in the right conditions).
Through intensive screening, we discovered a unique molecular signature in the cell lines associated with our most successful cases. These are our Golden Cells™. As Dr. Neil Riordan says, “An MSC is not an MSC. They are not all created equal.” With Golden Cells™, we are the only stem cell treatment center that can identify superior cells to treat chronic diseases in patients who come to Panama City, Panama for treatment.
Click here to learn more about our signature Golden Cells™!
Where Do Stem Cells Come From?
There are five main types of stem cells that come from different sources.
These include:
- Adult stem cells
- Postnatal stem cells (also considered adult stem cells)
- Embryonic stem cells
- Fetal stem cells
- Amniotic stem cells
Adult Stem Cells
Stem cells derived from adult body tissues are a cell type known as adult stem cells. They wait until they are needed throughout the lifespan of the body. When this occurs, the adult stem cells divide and produce new tissue that the body needs, such as muscle and skin tissue.
Adult stem cells have been found in different types of tissues throughout the body, including the:
- Skin
- Brain
- Liver
- Blood
- Bone marrow
- Blood vessels
- Skeletal muscles
Adult stem cells are vital since the body must constantly renew its tissues. For example, bone marrow and the gut regularly receive newly divided stem cells for maintenance and repair. This process can go on indefinitely, even completely regenerating an organ like the liver with new tissue.
At Stem Cell Institute, we use adult stem cells for all of our procedures. These are specifically postnatal stem cells that originate from umbilical cords donated after normal, healthy births. They are each thoroughly screened to ensure patient safety before being used for any treatments.
Embryonic and Other Stem Cells
Embryonic stem cells (human embryonic stem cells) are usually gathered from extra human embryos resulting from in vitro fertilization. This is done around the 4 – 5 day mark when the embryo is a ball of cells known as a blastocyst. During this process, a few of the many eggs are fertilized to ensure that at least one fertilized egg results in pregnancy.
Other types of stem cells include fetal stem cells that come from a fetus, and amniotic stem cells, some of which come from amniotic fluid during routine amniocentesis procedure.
At Stem Cell Institute we only use postnatal stem cells for our procedures. We do not use embryonic, fetal, or amniotic stem cells in any treatments.
Click here to learn more about adult stem cells!
Our team of doctors and scientists collect stem cells from umbilical cord tissue. In the past, we also used cord blood, bone marrow, and fat tissue. During a multi-year retrospective analysis, we identified six cell lines that showed improvements in our patients. We have named these unique cells “Golden Cells™” thanks to their ability to produce superior outcomes.
Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can be programmed to perform certain functions in the body later on. At Stem Cell Institute, we focus our stem cell treatment and research on adult (postnatal) stem cells, and exclusively use specially selected mesenchymal stem cells, called Golden Cells™.
Stem Cell Institute in Panama City, Panama is at the forefront of applied stem cell research. Since our inception in 2006, we have performed over 25,000 procedures, helping thousands of families across the United States and around the world embrace the opportunity for a better life. Our medical team prioritizes the health and well-being of all our patients through top-notch stem cell treatment and care.