Treating Bone Conditions with Umbilical Cord Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Stem cells are the foundation of regenerative medicine. From joint pain to chronic conditions, stem cell therapy is changing lives. At Cellebration Wellness, we help patients tap into this powerful potential.
Diseases of the bone can have an overwhelming impact on the health and well-being of sufferers. Unfortunately, these debilitating conditions impact the lives of tens of millions of people across the United States. Worldwide, bone diseases are believed to impact the lives of hundreds of millions of patients.
There are several types of bone diseases that impact patients. Each one has its own signs, symptoms and overall impacts on those who suffer from them. Some of the most common conditions include:
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis occurs when bone mineral density and bone mass decline or when there is a change in the structure and strength of bone. The result may be weakened bones and an elevated risk of fractures.
People who suffer from this condition may experience fractures as a result of normal stressors, like lifting, coughing, bending, or even minor falls. According to statistics, around 10 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis.
Osteopenia
Loss of bone mineral density (BMD) causes osteopenia, a condition characterized by brittle bones. Those over the age of 50, particularly women, are at increased risk. There are no outward indications of osteopenia, but bone density can be assessed with a simple screening test.
People who suffer from osteopenia may experience bone pain or weakness. However, there are typically no signs or symptoms that indicate that this disease is present. Approximately 34 million Americans suffer from osteopenia.
Paget’s Disease
In the human body, new bone tissues gradually replace old bone tissues over time. People who suffer from Paget’s disease have this process disrupted. Instead, the bones become fragile and misshapen. The most commonly affected areas of the body include the skull, spine, legs, and pelvis.
This condition typically has no signs or symptoms that indicate that people have it. However, when they do manifest, they can result in hip pain, an overgrowth of bone in the skull, bowed legs, or nerve roots becoming compressed in the spinal cord.
Statistics show that approximately 1% of the United States population suffers from Paget’s disease.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta
This is a genetic or heritable disease in which bones break unusually easily. In many cases, the breaks or fractures in the bones occurred due to no obvious cause or due to a minimal injury. Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, has an array of symptoms, which can range from mild to moderate or severe.
Some of the symptoms that patients may experience include a curved spine, a small stature, loose joints, malformed or bowing legs, or even barrel-shaped rib cages.
Statistics show that between one in every 10,000 to 20,000 people worldwide suffer from osteogenesis imperfecta. In America, between 25,000 and 50,000 people live with this condition.
Osteonecrosis
Reduced blood supply to bone tissue results in osteonecrosis, also known as avascular necrosis (AVN) or aseptic necrosis. Patients who suffer from this condition often experience an array of symptoms. They can include pain in the groin, thighs, hips, knees, or buttocks. Patients may also experience limping or pain in their joints, which can increase over time as the bone collapses.
In the United States, between 10,000 and 20,000 people between the ages of 20 and 50 develop osteonecrosis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, also referred to as a degenerative joint disease, causes problems with the knees, hands, and hips. With this disease, the cartilage within the joints continues to break down. As a result, it causes a change in the underlying bones. This change begins slowly and worsens over time. People who suffer from this disease often experience reduced functions and disabilities, stiffness, pain, and even swelling in the affected areas.
Statistics show that nearly 58.5 million people in the United States, or approximately 24% of all adults, suffer from arthritis.
Osteomyelitis
Bone inflammation or swelling is known as osteomyelitis. This condition is a result of an infection and inflammation within the bone. Infections, which are typically bacterial or fungal in nature, can originate in the bone itself or spread from another part of the body, usually as a result of trauma. Although osteomyelitis can affect people of any age, it is most common in children younger than five.
Patients who suffer from osteomyelitis may experience pain that can be severe. Irritability, swelling, fatigue, fever, skin discoloration, and swelling are also common symptoms of osteomyelitis.
Estimates show that 90 people out of every 100,000 adults in the United States and 13 out of every 100,000 children in the United States suffer from osteomyelitis.
Fibrous dysplasia
In fibrous dysplasia, abnormal fibrous tissue takes the place of normal bone. The bone becomes more fragile due to the abnormal scar tissue that grows. The risk of fractures and other bone damage increases dramatically.
Bone cells affected by fibrous dysplasia produce an abnormal form of fibrous bone due to a mutation in a specific gene. It can arise in any bone but typically affects the thigh, shin, rib, cranium, humerus, and pelvic bones.
Patients who suffer from this condition can experience severe bone pain, fractures due to the weakening of the bone structure, scoliosis, changes in facial bones, and even changes in the skull structure.
According to statistics, approximately one in every 15,000 to 30,000 people in the United States has been diagnosed with fibrous dysplasia.
Osteomalacia
Bone softening, or osteomalacia, is a disorder in which newly formed bone fails to harden normally. When bone mineralization is interrupted, it leads to this debilitating metabolic bone disease. When the mineral coats on the inner layer of the bone are unable to form correctly, it can lead to the collagen being soft and vulnerable to injury.
Patients who suffer from osteomalacia may experience problems walking, muscle spasms, weak, stiff, or sore muscles, pain in the legs, and pseudo-fractures on weight-bearing bones.
Statistics show that approximately one in every 1000 people suffer from osteomalacia in the United States.
Rickets
Similar to osteomalacia, rickets is a childhood bone condition that impacts children as a result of imperfect mineralization. This condition can result in weak bones, generally as a result of a vitamin D deficiency.
Symptoms of rickets can vary. However, most patients experience curved or bowed legs, bone pain or tenderness, slow bone growth, enlarged foreheads, or soft and easily broken bones. Estimates show that approximately one in every 200,000 children suffer from rickets.
Bone Cancer
When the cells of bones begin to grow out of control, it can result in the development of bone cancer. The most common types of primary bone cancer can include osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. In some cases, the cancer of the bone can spread from other areas of the body, which is referred to as bone metastases. Metastases bone cancer generally affects the spine.
Patients who suffer from bone cancer generally experience pain, swelling in the affected area, lumps in the affected area, and unexpected weight loss. In many patients, weakness in bones can lead to severely increased risks of fractures.
Estimates show that approximately 3970 cases of bone cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States. The total number of estimated patients with this disease is around 58,600 in the United States.
What Treatment Options are Available for Patients?
In most cases, patients utilize therapy and medications to treat their bone diseases. Unfortunately, the symptoms that patients experience often persist regardless of the treatment they receive.
More recently, we have seen scientists focus on the use of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to treat people who suffer from various types of bone diseases.
What are Umbilical Cord Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells?
Umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells, often referred to as UCT-MSCs, are a type of stem cell that has shown to be incredibly effective when it comes to treating various degenerative and autoimmune disorders.
UCT-MSCs are a type of adult stem cell that are removed from the umbilical cord. In particular, scientists isolate UCT-MSCs from the Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord, which is a gelatinous substance that protects the umbilical cord.
This type of stem cell is particularly unique due to the fact that they have the ability to differentiate into various types of cells, including:
- Adipocytes
- Myocytes
- Chondrocytes
- Hepatocytes
- Osteoblasts
Additionally, UCT-MSCs have exceptional anti-inflammatory properties, which makes them ideal for treating autoimmune disorders and various diseases. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells are also considered to be more ethical due to the fact that they do not result in the loss of life. They can be safely isolated out of the umbilical cord without having any negative effects on any person.
Using UCT-MSCs to Treat Bone Conditions
Recent studies concerning the use of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to treat bone diseases have proven beneficial. Incredibly, one study surrounding the use of UCT-MSCs to treat people who suffer from bone cancer found that the ability of stem cells to differentiate into osteoblasts enables them to create healthy bone tissue in damaged areas. Another study focused on the use of stem cells for treating children who suffer from rickets. This study found that stem cells were successful in hematopoietic engraftment, which greatly improved the condition the patients experienced.
We have seen that UCT-MSCs can be used to treat bone conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis. Not only are they safe and noninvasive, but they also show promising results in regenerating lost or damaged bones. UCT-MSC therapy is an effective approach when it comes to long-term solutions for those suffering from chronic bone disorders, furthering the research into regenerative medicine.
Take the first step toward a healthier future. Contact Cellebration Wellness at 1.800.601.8290 to learn how stem cell therapy can benefit you.
