Stem Cell Seminar Report

[zinn21]

I attended a Stem Cell Seminar this weekend hosted by The TOC and it looks like some exciting science is coming down the road for horses as well as humans. Dr. Gregory Ferraro and Dr. Larry Galupo from U.C. Davis headed the presentation with racetrack Vet Dr. Kim Kuhlman discussing the use of PRP and IRAP therapy on racehorses in training.

Without getting too detailed the overall theme was:

A. Stem cell science is rapidly evolving.
B. The manipulation of stem cells looks very promising for various orthopedic uses (i.e. tendon repair; cartilage repair)
C. A big recommendation to save and store either the foals cord blood or cord tissue from afterbirth. (an insurance policy)
1. U.C. Davis will freeze and store for future use supposedly at a fairly nominal price.
2. Saved material can be thawed, developed and used for the foal, the mare or the foal's half siblings..
3. Material can be safely stored in a frozen state and used decades later.
D. Stem cells are harvested more easily and with more density the younger the horse.
E. Cord Blood, Cord Tissue, Fat Cells and Bone Marrow are the main sources for stem cell harvesting.
F. The sooner stem cells presented to damage area the better. Scar Tissue is the enemy.
G. Much discussion of a coordinated protocol for injury rehab such as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy in conjunction and or followed by Stem Cell Therapy.
H. Much discussion on the use of Stem Cells in a preventative way (intraarticularly) since cells introduced to the system will seek out and repair damaged areas throughout the body. (Similar to HA or adequan injections but those protocols being systemic in use versus stem cells being a source for damage repair use.)

In the end Dr. Ferraro stated that stem cell research and it's application will change dramatically in the next 3-5 years as science ramps up and discover through trial and error the various applications and best use.

Dr. Ferraro told a great story about equine cord tissue with it's rubber like characteristics, the trouble they were having breaking the tissue down and finding a method to harvest a very dense source of stem cell material. He said a fellow researcher was observing an associate's frustration and told him to wait a minute-he had something that might work. He came back with a device purchased in the 70's that failed to work on a long ago project but thought it might for this. Low and behold it worked perfectly and they are now able to easily harvest stem cells from cord tissue-a very rich and manipulative source..

If any on this board attended feel free to add any of your thoughts.


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