Stem cells are the remarkable building blocks of life, with the unique ability to develop into various types of cells within the body. 

What Are Stem Cells?

When a baby is just starting to grow inside the womb, there’s a tiny ball of cells called a blastocyst. The inner cells of a blastocyst are stem cells that can differentiate into any part of the body: the heart, brain, skin, etc. Practically, they’re responsible for building the whole baby from scratch. 

Some types of stem cells remain inside our bodies throughout our lives. They are present in various tissues, such as the brain, bone marrow, blood vessels, muscles, skin, and liver, and have the potential to grow into any of the body’s more than 200 cell types. However, they remain in a non-specific state until the body needs them for a certain purpose.

With their distinct regenerative powers, they provide hope for treating a wide range of diseases and health conditions. That’s why the therapeutic potential of stem cells has been the focus of much scientific research.

What Are the Different Types of Stem Cells?

Let’s begin by addressing the question: “How many different types of stem cells are there?”

There are three main types of stem cells often mentioned in the context of stem cell therapy: 

• embryonic stem cells,
• adult stem cells, 
• induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

The main differences between them lie in their origin, potency—the ability to change into different cell types—and potential applications in research and medicine. 

How many cell types can stem cells develop into? That question categorizes stem cells into:

• totipotent (can become any cell), 
• pluripotent (can become many types of cells),
• multipotent (can become several types of cells),
• oligopotent (can become a few types of cells),
• unipotent (can become only one type of cell).

Let’s compare the different types of stem cells in the table below. 

While iPSCs showcase promise for regenerative medicine, at Swiss Medica we do not use them, since they are not yet part of clinical practice. For now, there is ongoing research utilizing iPSCs for 3D organ modeling and disease studies. 

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Curious about how adult stem cells could help in your case? Learn more by scheduling a free, no-obligation online consultation with one of our medical advisors.

Dr. Aleksandra Fetyukhina, MD

Medical Advisor, Swiss Medica doctor

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Which Stem Cells Are Used in Stem Cell Therapy?

According to a report at Science Direct, many businesses in the US market stem cell therapies giving confusing descriptions of their products. 

These raise worries about whether people fully understand what they are agreeing to, whether vulnerable people are being put in danger, and whether the treatments being sold are safe and effective. 

Here, we will try to clear up this stem cell mess.

Adult Stem Cells vs. Embryonic Stem Cells—Which Ones Work the Best?

As we have mentioned, totipotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have the potential to develop into any cell type in the body, making them a promising area of research for treating various diseases. Then why do trusted medical institutions avoid using them in treatments?  

Key Drawbacks of Embryonic Stem Cells

Ethical Concerns

Firstly, the use of ESCs involves the destruction of blastocysts (structures formed in the early development of the baby), which are formed from laboratory-fertilized embryos. For many, this is a significant ethical concern, especially those who believe that life begins at conception.

Tumor Formation

Since ESCs can differentiate into any type of cell in the body when injected into adult tissues, they can grow irregularly or specialize in different cell types spontaneously if they are exposed to unfavorable conditions.   

Genetic Instability

Research has shown that embryonic stem cells, obtained from artificially created embryos, can exhibit genetic abnormalities. They pose challenges in ensuring the long-term safety and success of treatments involving embryonic stem cells.

At Swiss Medica, we prioritize the safety of our patients above all else. To avoid any potential negative effects linked to embryonic stem cells, we exclusively utilize:

• Adult multipotent MSCs from a donor or a patient
• Secretome and exosomes from these cells.

Key Advantages of Adult Stem Cells

Adult MSCs, on the other hand, have emerged as a safer and more practical alternative for clinical use. Here’s why:

Proven Safety

MSCs are multipotent stem cells that naturally reside in tissues such as bone marrow, fat, and umbilical cord tissue. Unlike ESCs, MSCs do not form teratomas or other tumors, making them a safer option for therapeutic applications.

Immune Modulation

MSCs have powerful immunomodulatory properties, which means they can regulate the immune response and reduce inflammation. This makes them particularly valuable in treating autoimmune conditions and inflammatory diseases.

Ethical Acceptability

Because MSCs are harvested from adult tissues or birth-related tissues like the umbilical cord (which are typically discarded), their use avoids the ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cells.

Law Risk of Rejection

MSCs can be used in autologous therapies, where the patient’s own cells are harvested, processed, and reintroduced into their body. This reduces the risk of immune rejection compared to ESC-based treatments.

Donor vs. Patient’s Stem Cells: How Do We Choose the Right Therapy?

Two main types of stem cells are used in therapy: 

• Autologous stem cell transplants—they come from the patient’s own body.

• Allogeneic stem cell transplants—they come from a donor, either related or unrelated.    

Some patients believe that the body may reject donor types of stem cells and that family members can provide bone marrow more suitable for them. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes patients have better odds of matching with someone who is unrelated and shares their ethnic background.

When choosing the right therapy at Swiss Medica, we consider various factors, including the type of condition being treated, the patient’s circumstances, i.e., the age of the patient, the availability of a suitable donor, and susceptibility to immune effects.

Stem Cell Types and Applications at Swiss Medica

In our practice, we often use a combination of our own and donor cells, as this allows us to use the advantages of both methods.

Live Stem Cells vs. Thawed: Which Option is Better in Therapy?

Live stem cells are cells that are freshly extracted or cultured.

Thawed stem cells, on the other hand, are cells that have been previously frozen and then thawed for use immediately before the injection procedure. ​​Careful and rigorous cryopreservation, thawing, and preparation processes are crucial to ensure good viability and recovery of the thawed MSC product.

Having our laboratories on site eliminates the need for freezing donor stem cells in many cases.

In our own laboratory, we carefully prepare different types of stem cells from donor or patients’ tissues.

On the other hand, we have the ability to freeze and store the patient’s own cells for multiple future uses, eliminating the need for a painful and complex cell collection procedure before each treatment.

Our technology involves monitoring cells after thawing, bringing them into an active state, assessing their viability, and removing inactive cells. This enhances the quality and effectiveness of treatments offered in Swiss Medica.

Depending on the therapeutic purposes, different types of stem cells can be used for various tasks. The doctor will recommend the most suitable stem cell types and their uses to maximize the potential benefits of the therapy.

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Looking for treatment alternatives for your ailment but unsure if stem cell therapy is right for you? Leave your information, and we will schedule a free online consultation with our experts to help you understand stem cell therapy.

Dr. Aleksandra Fetyukhina, MD

Medical Advisor, Swiss Medica doctor

Your Name Please fill out this field Phone Please fill out this field E-mail Please fill out this field

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