Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the umbrella term for lung conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis which make it challenging to breathe. More than 16 million people have been diagnosed with COPD, but the actual number of people living with it is likely far greater, due to the suspected number of undiagnosed individuals.
There is no cure for COPD, so medical professionals focus on helping patients control symptoms and slow the condition’s progression. Now, however, research is emerging which suggests that stem cells could help to be beneficial for managing COPD.
Stem cells are found in every living organism and have the ability to self-renew through cell division and differentiate into virtually any specialized cell type as they’re needed. In the adult body, stem cells are dormant and don’t activate unless triggered by an event such as illness or injury. They have the ability to regenerate or heal damaged tissue.
These mesenchymal stem cells can be harvested from the body and redelivered to targeted areas where tissue damage has occurred to spur healing. They are also available through donated stem cell tissue from the umbilical cord’s Wharton’s Jelly. For people with COPD, it’s believed stem cells could:
- Reduce airway inflammation
- Regenerate new, healthy lung tissue and replace damaged areas
- Stimulate the development of new capillaries to optimize lung function
While animal studies have shown success, researchers are still working on producing consistently positive results in human trials. Currently, clinical trials have yet to progress past phase two, but as researchers explore treatment modalities and compare results, it’s possible that new regenerative medicine avenues will open up for people with COPD and other chronic conditions.
This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine for hair, also Stem cell treatment for COPD. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.
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