Curious differences in gene expression between reprogrammed adult stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), and the embryonic stem cells that the former are designed to mimic might now be explained by a new discovery about just how much information a "reprogrammed" adult stem cell retains.

A stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis that could revolutionise its treatment is to be tested on patients for the first time in Britain.

Osteoarthritis affects an estimated eight million people in the UK, a million of whom seek help from their doctor.

In the last few years, a number of methods have been developed to repair cartilage damage. These include osteochondral transplantation, microfracture surgery and autologous chondrocyte (cartilage cell) implantation.

A feature common to all of these techniques is that they are limited to the repair of focal lesions. Patients with OA are excluded from treatment.

Medistem Inc. together with the Stem Cell Institute (www.cellmedicine.com) reported today publication in the peer reviewed journal Cellular Immunology its paper titled "Autologous stromal vascular fraction cells: A tool for facilitating tolerance in rheumatic disease," which describes the first use of a patient's own fat stem cells for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 23, 2010 -- Biologic Joint Reconstruction, rather than bionic (artificial) replacement, may be an appropriate first step for many people with knee joint arthritis, Kevin R. Stone, MD, chairman, the Stone Research Foundation stated at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. These research results could have significant impact on the long-term feasibility of artificial knee replacement - the number of artificial joint replacement surgeries is predicted to increase to 3.4 million by 2030, with proportionate increases in cost.