The medical industry is rapidly evolving and increasing what we know by a staggering 100% annually. Each year, with newly introduced technologies and treatments, we are learning more and more about the human body, the genome, as well as the potential possibilities of the future, such as regenerative medicine. Understanding the history and course of regenerative medicine is essential for new and improved therapies that are being introduced to the masses.
What is Regenerative Medicine?
When you think of the term “regenerative”, you may think of “regeneration”, which is right on track with what regenerative medicine provides. Regenerative medicine is a process of providing treatment to a patient with the hopes of regenerating, regrowing, or entirely replacing specific organs or areas of the body that require intensive healing.
How Does Regenerative Medicine Work?
In the human body, it is possible for regeneration to work on three levels, including:
- Tissue: The tissue level of the body includes the skin, blood, bone, and muscle. These layers are visible to the naked eye when exposed.
- Cellular: Within the body’s cells, it includes various axons and neurons, which can be directly linked to the evolution, growth, and even the reproductive systems in the body.
- Molecular: The molecular functions in the body often include various items such as proteins, DNA strands, and specific fats that help to make up the body. These are often referred to as the building blocks of the body.
The History of Regenerative Medicine
The history of regenerative medicine can be traced back to as late as the 1990s when stem cell research first came to the forefront of scientific research. Although the idea of regenerative medicine can be found rooted in ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians and the Sumerians, it was not reintroduced into the modern West until the 90s, due to a lack of scientific understanding of the body on a cellular and molecular level.
In some instances, there are medical records that date back to the 8th century that reference the potential of regenerative medicine. Others believe that Greek mythology also depicted the process of regenerative medicine as well as its benefits.
Today, regenerative medicine is taking off in a field of its own, especially since the advent of skin-grafting techniques that use regenerative medicine and tools to complete surgical procedures. After many successful organ transplants involving kidneys, lungs, and even hearts, many scientists became intrigued with the prospect of harvesting and/or growing and manipulating tissue of their own in a lab, which is how regenerative medicine came to grow as it has today.
The Importance of Regenerative Medicine
While there is still a lot of research to be done, regenerative medicine is extraordinarily promising, especially when it comes to genetic therapies and organ transplants and/or repairs. With the use of stem cell therapy, cells are trained to work in a certain manner or behave with particular characteristics, helping to improve the overall health of the individual receiving the stem cell therapy treatment.
Types of Regenerative Medicines
Artificial organs/medical devices: One popular form of regenerative medicine includes the use of medical devices and artificial organs, which can help to replace organs that are no longer working properly in the body.
Tissue engineering: The use of 3D-printed tissues can help with tissue regrowth after accidents, injuries, or surgery.
Cellular solutions: Cellular therapies are also common regenerative solutions that can help reconstruct and regrow damaged or lost tissue throughout the body. The use of cellular therapy is possible by taking stem cells that are located in the following areas of the body:
- Skeleton
- Bone marrow
- Fat
- Blood
- Dental pulp
- Umbilical cord blood
Uses of Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine was once thought of as impossible before the evolution of skin-grafting and various animal experiments involving regenerative medicine and the regeneration of individual body parts and organs alike. Some of the most common uses of regenerative medicine that are being introduced to the public include:
- Tissue engineering and repairing
- Genetic programming/gene therapy for repairing tissues and/or cells
- Cardiovascular tissue repairing
- Type 1 diabetes treatment
- Immune system boosts
- Cell therapy (various cell types)
- Skin wound treatments and regenerations
- Organ transplants
- Brain injury tissue repairs
- Cancer assistance/treatment (certain types of cancers)
Advantages of Regenerative Medicine
“Regenerative medicine offers an opportunity to repair or replace damaged cells, tissues, muscles, and even entire organs throughout the body, depending on an individual’s condition and specific needs,” says Dr. Lindsay Clark, MD, specialist in regenerative and metabolic medicine. “For those considering the option of regenerative medicine, it is important to become familiar with the benefits that come with the process and what that entails.”
Benefits of regenerative medicine include:
- Retrain your body: Retrain your body at a cellular level on how to repair and treat itself.
- No surgery: Avoid invasive and risky surgery with cellular and molecular treatment options.
- Less painful: Most regenerative medicine solutions are far less painful than alternative solutions on the market.
- Lower rejection rates: The use of stem cell therapy typically results in lower rejection rates, thus higher success rates for patients.
- Faster recovery: Take advantage of an expedited recovery process with regenerative medicine treatments.
Understanding the history of regenerative medicine as well as the applications in which regenerative medicine is used today is essential for those with both short and long-term tissue damage or diseases. Although regenerative medicine is relatively new in the timeline of modern medicine, it is extremely promising and will likely be a leading form of treatment in the near future.
