Stem Cell Therapies and Regeneration:

Your Body as a Self-Healing Ecosystem

Neil Theise, MDDepartments of Pathology and Medicine

Beth Israel Medical Center - Albert Einstein College of MedicineNew York City

www.neiltheise.com

this talk: Posted on slideshare.net (search “theise”)

December ‘99

January ’00December ‘99

LethalIrradiation

Male Bone Marrow Transplant

FISH forY-Chromosome

July ’00January ’00December ‘99

Controversy!!!

Sort PKH-brightSort PKH-bright

Male Donor BMMale Donor BM

Lin DepleteLin DepleteElutriateElutriate

PKH26PKH26LabelLabel

48 Hours48 Hours

Transplant Transplant singlesingle cell into cell into 22oo Female Recipient Female Recipient

11oo Female Recipient Female Recipient

Bone Marrow

One Adult Cell

Epithelia of • Liver• Lung• Gut, (Pancreas)

Skin, Hair follicles

MESODERM

ENDODERM ECTODERM

One Adult Cell

One Adult Cell

Adult cells can do whateverembryonic cells can do!

MESODERM

ENDODERM ECTODERM

One Adult Cell

One Adult Cell

The Standard Paradigm ofEmbryology & Adult Tissue Repair

The Revised Paradigm

Controversy!!!

trivial...trivial...vs.vs.

ROBUST!!!ROBUST!!!

Meanwhile, Meanwhile, back at the stem cell debates…back at the stem cell debates…

trivial vs. robust...?trivial vs. robust...?

Conversations with Jane ProphetNew Media Artist and

Professor, Interdisciplinary StudiesUniversity of Westminster, London UK

SciArt Award, Wellcome Trust 2002

Conversations with Jane ProphetNew Media Artist and

Professor, Interdisciplinary StudiesUniversity of Westminster, London UK

SciArt Award, Wellcome Trust 2002

Date: 9th May 2002 Location: Neil's office, New York

  Jane says: “Ideas about pathways are interesting. A Jane says: “Ideas about pathways are interesting. A lot of people who are involved in digital biology are lot of people who are involved in digital biology are interested in things like swarming people and so interested in things like swarming people and so called ’soup organism’ behaviour. And one of the called ’soup organism’ behaviour. And one of the

useful models to take forward is about ant useful models to take forward is about ant colonies…”colonies…”

Complex Adaptive Systems:

Lewin R, Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos. 2nd ed. Chicago IL: University of Chicago Press; 2002.

Johnson S, Emergence. New York NY: Scribner; 2001.

…

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures that appear planned from the top, downward,

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures that appear planned from the top, downward,

BUT ARE NOT!

Complex Adaptive Systems:Interacting individuals that,

if they fulfill 4 criteria,organize themselves from the bottom up,

into larger structures that appear planned from the top, downward,

BUT ARE NOT!

These self organizing structures are ADAPTIVE.ADAPTIVE.

Complex Adaptive Systems:Rise and Fall of Economic Markets

Urban DevelopmentImmune Systems

BeatlemaniaRise and Fall of Civilizations

Coral ReefsEvolution and Speciation

Complex Adaptive Systems:

• Numbers matter

Complex Adaptive Systems:

• Numbers matter

• Negative feedback loops

Complex Adaptive Systems:

• Numbers matter

• Negative feedback loops

• Interactions are local without global sensing

Complex Adaptive Systems:

• Numbers matter

• Negative feedback loops

• Interactions are local without global sensing

• Low level randomness

Low level engraftment Low level engraftment is not only NOT trivial, is not only NOT trivial, but it is VITAL but it is VITAL – – literally so.literally so.1-31-3

Low level engraftment Low level engraftment is not only NOT trivial, is not only NOT trivial, but it is VITAL but it is VITAL – – literally so.literally so.1-31-3

11Theise ND. Exp Hematology 2003Theise ND. Exp Hematology 200322D’Inverno M, Theise ND. BCMD 2004D’Inverno M, Theise ND. BCMD 200433D’Inverno M, Theise ND, Prophet J.D’Inverno M, Theise ND, Prophet J.

In: Potten C, Wilson J, Clarke R, Renahan A: In: Potten C, Wilson J, Clarke R, Renahan A: Tissue stem cells: Biology and applicationsTissue stem cells: Biology and applications

Hierarchies of complex systems…

thing vs. phenomenon

depends on scale of observation

How does this relate to disease and injury?

HEARTHEARTATTACK!!!ATTACK!!!

STEMSTEMCELLSCELLS

STEMSTEMCELLSCELLS

STEMSTEMCELLSCELLS

Stem Cells!Stem Cells!

Stem Cells!Stem Cells!

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

The Team:Drs. Theise, Karpeh, and Bodenheimer

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPDwith Dr. Jonathan Raskin, Pulmonary Medicine

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

with Dr. Martin Karpeh, Chair of Surgery

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

Projects in exploration/planning stages: End stage liver disease (cirrhosis) Type I diabetes

Here at Beth Israel(in collaboration with NeoStem, Inc)

Grant applications now submitted for:

Emphysema/COPD Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds

Projects in exploration/planning stages: End stage liver disease (cirrhosis) Type I diabetes

In the future…? What interests you…? Talk to me!

More…

2006 Conference:Longevity & Optimal Health

Integrating Eastern & Western Perspectives

GLOBAL mind/body interventions

e.g. YOGA, MEDITATION, etc….

GLOBAL mind/body interventions

Humoral factors Nerve signaling Bioelectromagnetism Cell trafficking

e.g. YOGA, MEDITATION, etc….

GLOBAL mind/body interventions

LOCAL effects

Humoral factors Nerve signaling Bioelectromagnetism Cell trafficking

Site Specific, Tissue Regeneration

e.g. YOGA, MEDITATION, etc….

Still more…

Communities

BodiesCells

e.g. cities, cultures, ecosystems, Gaia

BodiesCells

If our parks are the lungs of the city…?If our parks are the lungs of the city…?

Are our hospitals its organs of healing and regeneration?Are our hospitals its organs of healing and regeneration?