Episode 6 (6 of 9): Connections between fat cells, What is going on?

The Revolution of Regenerative Medicine: Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is a combination of multiple cellular and extracellular factors which can be moved from one area of the body to another. Bone marrow SVF-acquisition may be demonstrated to have substantial efficacy for certain clinical applications, but fatty compartments are normally easier to access. Most physicians don’t realize that the majority of cells in adipose/fat tissue are NOT fat cells. There is some evidence that adipose-derived SVF may have higher counts of the most important cells. These cellular (and extracellular factors), once they are removed and re-deployed, essentially perform the same tasks that they were always meant to perform in their original fat tissue location. The important cell players: the mesenchymal stem cell, hematopoietic stem cell, pericyte, macrophage, lymphocyte, and pre-adipocyte all have unique roles. Likely they work together in a “symphony” of coordinated behavior. We are still discovering the best way to deploy these factors potentially with engineered “designer cells.” Please see the medical practice description and biography for Gregory Laurence, MD on podcast episode 1.