Stem cells are part of your body's natural repair system. Learn what they are, how they work, and why they are at the center of today's regenerative medicine research.
Get Your Free ConsultationA stem cell is a special kind of cell. It has two main abilities: it can copy itself over and over, and it can change into many different types of cells. A muscle cell can only be a muscle cell. But a stem cell can become almost anything the body needs. Scientists call these two abilities self-renewal and differentiation.
Think of stem cells as blank slates. Before you were born, they built every organ and tissue in your body. After birth, they keep working. They replace old blood cells, repair injured muscle, and keep your gut lining healthy. Stem cells are not a new invention. They are already inside you, doing their job every day.
Scientists have identified four main types of stem cells. Not all of them are used in medical treatment.
These cells come from early embryos and can turn into almost any cell type. We do not use them at GSS because of ethical and legal restrictions. They are mainly used for research.
These cells live throughout your body, including in your bone marrow, fat, and blood. They are the backbone of regenerative medicine. They cannot become as many cell types as embryonic cells, but they are among the most studied cells in regenerative research and are generally well tolerated in clinical studies.
These are the cells we use at GSS. MSCs are found in bone marrow, fat, and placental tissue. In the lab, they can develop into bone, cartilage, and other tissue types, and researchers are studying their effect on inflammation. The stem cell preparations used by our partner physicians are MSC-based.
Scientists can reprogram regular adult cells to act like embryonic stem cells. This is still in the research stage and is not yet used in standard medical practice. It may play a big role in medicine in the future.
Researchers describe three main ways MSCs may support the body's own repair processes. How much each one contributes in patients is still being studied.
In laboratory studies, MSCs can develop into cartilage, bone, and connective tissue cells. Whether injected cells become lasting new tissue in patients has not been shown, and most researchers now believe this is a small part of how they act.
MSCs send chemical signals to the cells around them. These signals may encourage nearby cells to support their own repair. Many researchers believe this signaling is the main way MSCs act. They act more like a repair coordinator than a direct replacement.
MSCs can sense when your immune system is overreacting. They release signals that may help calm inflammation. This is why researchers are studying MSCs for autoimmune and long-term inflammatory conditions, though these uses are investigational and not FDA-approved.
There are two ways to get stem cells for treatment. Autologous means the cells come from your own body, usually from your bone marrow or fat tissue. Allogeneic means the cells come from a screened donor. GSS uses donor-derived cells from placenta tissue. This approach provides higher cell counts, consistent quality, and no harvesting procedure for the patient.
All donor cells used at GSS are carefully screened and tested before use. Donor tissue is screened and tested under the supplier's documented tissue bank standards, and you can ask to see the documentation for your preparation. MSCs have a key advantage: they are much less likely to be rejected by your body. No special blood-type matching is needed, so the risk of rejection is considered low, though not zero.
Not sure whether this applies to your case? Candidacy is determined by medical review of your history and imaging, not by a form. The consultation is complimentary.
See If You QualifyMost medicine is built around controlling symptoms. It suppresses inflammation, replaces damaged joints, or blocks pain signals. This works well for sudden injuries. But for long-term, degenerative, and inflammatory conditions, it has real limits. It often manages the condition rather than changing its course, and some long-term treatments carry their own side effects.
Stem cell therapy takes a different approach. Rather than focusing on symptoms, it is being studied for whether it may support the body's own repair processes. Some patients who have already tried medications, injections, and physical therapy explore it as another option, though it is investigational, results vary, and outcomes are not guaranteed.
Want to learn how a full stem cell treatment works? Read our guide: Stem Cell Therapy →
Adults have stem cells in bone marrow, adipose (fat) tissue, and blood. In clinical regenerative medicine, donor-derived mesenchymal stem cells are sourced from regulated tissue banks that perform comprehensive donor screening and quality testing.
No. Different types of stem cells (including mesenchymal, hematopoietic, and neural stem cells) serve different biological functions. Regenerative medicine primarily uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) because of their ability to modulate inflammation and support tissue repair.
Mesenchymal stem cells are considered to have low immunogenicity, meaning they are less likely than many other cells to trigger a rejection response, so tissue matching is not usually required. The risk of an immune reaction is low, but not zero.
No. Regenerative medicine primarily uses adult mesenchymal stem cells, not embryonic cells. These are sourced from adult donor tissue through ethical, regulated processes.
Stem cells are studied for their ability to modulate inflammation and release signaling molecules that may support the body's natural repair processes. This is why they are central to regenerative medicine research on chronic and degenerative conditions.
Connect with our coordination team to explore whether stem cell therapy may be available for your condition and your goals through an independent provider.
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