Patient Question: How Do Stem Cells Know Where to Go?

A common question we hear from patients is, “How do stem cells know to go to the problem areas?” To address this, an FDA-approved method called 99mTC Radio Tagging was used. This tagging attaches to the stem cells, making them visible on scans after infusion. Here are scans from treatments done on specific cases, showing exactly how the stem cells homed to areas in need of repair.

Case 1: Arthritis

In one case, a patient had arthritis in the right wrist only, making him an ideal candidate for radio-tagging. Fat-derived stem cells were tagged and infused into the left hand. The scans showed these tagged cells only on the right wrist, not the left, confirming that the stem cells migrated directly to the problem area. This clearly demonstrated the natural ability of stem cells to target areas in need of healing.

Case 2: Emphysema

In this case, activated stem cells were given via an IV drip in the patient’s left arm. The stem cells traveled to the inflamed areas in the lungs. A scan taken 24 hours later revealed the tagged stem cells in the lungs, the exact site of inflammation, providing evidence of targeted movement to the affected area.

Case 3: Cerebral Palsy

For a 9-year-old with Cerebral Palsy, stem cells were harvested, activated, and tagged with Indium. The cells were then infused through an IV drip. A scan showed these tagged cells in the brain, with yellow-orange areas indicating the “hot spots” where the stem cells concentrated in the regions needing treatment. This highlighted the ability of stem cells to locate and act on areas of dysfunction within the brain.

Case 4: Brain Injury

In a case involving brain injury, the patient received an IV infusion of their own fat-derived stem cells. The scan showed these stem cells clustering in the affected brain area, confirming their homing capability.

These cases demonstrate the effectiveness of radio-tagged stem cells, showing their ability to locate and concentrate in areas needing repair, whether in the joints, lungs, or brain. This targeting power offers promising insights into the therapeutic potential of fat-derived stem cells for specific conditions.