FAT STEM CELLS WERE NAMED BY TIME MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE 50 BEST INVENTIONS OF 2011

This comes as no surprise when one considers all the research that has been done with fat stem cells.  When a mainstream  periodical such as Time magazine  considers something as one of the fifty beat inventions of the year that says something.  Fat is finally making it to the big time. The only thing I would question is the fact of naming fat stem cells as one of the best inventions of 2011.  Fat stem cells have been used for many years now with excellent and safe results.  Perhaps we should say that fat stem cells finally have been recognized for their potential.  Just a few weeks ago there was news about fat stem cells being used to regenerate heart muscle in heart attack victims with good results.   This is just one of many different examples where  fat stem cells cause repair.

Why all the fuss about fat stem cells?  If we analyze fat we realize that  it a gold mine of mesenchymal stem cells.  These are typically the most important cells that accomplish repair to bone, tendon, cartilage, and muscle.  These are the four structures we are very much involved with in the  repair of orthopedic problems.  Even if you have conventional surgery you are depending upon stem cells to finalize the repair.   These stem cells from fat are initially derived from  bone marrow stem cells and thus they act very similar to bone marrow stem cells.  The fat cells are harvested the same  day as they are used and thus they do not lose the potency. 

The main reason why the fat stem cells are so important is the sheer number of stem cells that are contained in fat tissue.  As we age the number of mesenchymal stem cells diminishes dramatically  in our bone marrow.  In the meantime the treasure trove of mesenchymal stem cells stays relatively constant in our fat tissue.  By no means do I mean to reduce the importance of bone marrow since it contains large numbers of other type of cells we need in addition to all the growth factors that are found in stem cells.  When we use  bone marrow aspirate ( that liquid that is removed from the bone marrow ) and combine it with fat and the stem cells that fat contains we have a cocktail that can do some excellent repair work.  

My final thought about the Time article is that I don't  consider fat stem cells as an invention.  An invention is something that is created.  Fat stem cells have been there all the long.  They were discovered.  It just might turn out that at least in medicine fat stem cells might be one of the most important  discoveries of all time.   The potential is there we just need to learn the tricks of harnessing it.   

Thanks Dr. P