| Stem cell cures have taken the medical world by | | | | embryos, the umbilical cord and certain tissues of a |
| storm. Diseases which were earlier considered fatal or | | | | fully developed body such as the bone marrow. |
| incurable, are now being evaluated for treatment | | | | Stem cell-based therapies can work in the area of |
| with stem cells that are obtained from the human | | | | cardiac disorders, neural degeneration, spinal cord |
| body. Stem cells are essentially those which have the | | | | injuries, metabolic disorders, hematological diseases, |
| potential to develop into many different cell types in | | | | oncological diseases, skin pigmentation disorders and |
| the body during early life and growth. These cells can | | | | burns and wound management. There are four firms |
| be distinguished from other cell types on the basis of | | | | that are looking towards expanding their hold in the |
| two important characteristics. The first being, these | | | | Indian stem cell market. These are Reliance Life |
| cells are unspecialized and thus capable of renewing | | | | Sciences Pvt. Ltd., LifeCell International Pvt. Ltd., |
| themselves through cell division, in spite of long | | | | Regenerative Medical Services Pvt. Ltd. and |
| periods of inactivity. And second, these unspecialized | | | | Cryo-Save India Pvt. Ltd. Of these, Reliance Life |
| cells can be induced to become tissue or organ | | | | Sciences Pvt. Ltd. has already developed ReliNethra, |
| specific cells that have special functions, when | | | | which is an autologous limbal stem cells graft that can |
| treated under certain physiological and experimental | | | | be used to restore or improve vision. |
| conditions. Scientists have primarily worked with two | | | | ReliNethra is essentially a culture of limbal epithelial |
| kinds of stem cells; namely, embryonic stem cells and | | | | stem cells on a human amniotic membrane which is |
| somatic, adult or non-embryonic stem cells. | | | | then used to renew the ocular surface of an eye |
| Stem cells are further classified on the basis of their | | | | damaged due to chemical or thermal burns, severe |
| potency, which essentially describes how many types | | | | microbial keratitis or contact-lens induced keratopathy. |
| of cells a certain stem cell can transform into. Stem | | | | Reliance Life Sciences also offers the facility of a |
| cells can be divided into totipotent, pluripotent, | | | | stem cell cord blood repository, which offers both |
| multipotent and oligopotent and unipotent cells. | | | | public and family banking services. The stem cell |
| Totipotent and pluripotent stem cells are those which | | | | enriched cord blood repository offers various |
| have not yet begun differentiating and can be | | | | programs which includes ReliCord –S, which is a |
| developed into any other type of cells. Multipotent | | | | sibling donor program that involves private banking; |
| are those which have already begun differentiating | | | | ReliCord – Superior, which allows cord blood, 1 |
| into a general type of cell, and can be developed into | | | | million stem cells and cord tissue banking; ReliCord |
| several cell types of a particular “family” of | | | | – M50, which allows cord blood, 50 million stem |
| cell types. Oligopotent stem cells are capable of | | | | cells and cord tissue banking; and ReliCord – A, |
| differentiating into only a limited type of cells, while | | | | which is a public banking donor program wherein |
| unipotent stem cells can only reproduce indefinitely | | | | patients can access grafts from the repository that |
| into their own type. Stem cells can be found in | | | | would be required for transplants. |