- Stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis is a $35 billion industry, but actual trials show underwhelming results compared to cheaper alternatives like steroid injections.
- A study examined stem cell injections from fat and bone marrow and found very low percentages of stem cells present.
- Analysis of RNA from the cells revealed that the cells from fat and bone marrow are very different and not interchangeable.
- Proteins found in the aspirates had limited immunomodulatory functions, with only a few proteins detected in both fat and bone marrow samples.
- The study concludes that the exact mechanism of how "stem cell" injections work is unclear, and the variability in the substance injected may be why trial data on these therapies are inconsistent.
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Stem Cell Therapy, Regenerative Medicine, Genetics, Dermatology