Stem Cells
Adipose tissue is a real organ. Throughout its life, it has an intense proliferative activity, thanks above all to the fat cells that are found around the adult adipocytes. These are cellular precursors that have a great capacity for differentiation.
Adipose tissue is therefore very rich in multipotent mesenchymal stem cells, with the same growth potential as those contained in the bone marrow. With a difference: while the removal of bone tissue is more traumatic and its availability more limited, fat can represent an inexhaustible source, easily and immediately available.
A large number of multipotent stem cells can be obtained from a modest quantity of fat cells through rigorous isolation and culture techniques. The latter can differentiate, according to the needs, in different types of tissue, including adipose, cartilage, bone, endothelial, muscle.
The clinical applications of stem cells derived from adipose tissue are many, useful in many areas of medicine. In plastic surgery, they help regenerate the tissues of the face and breast, for example, to restore tone to the damaged epidermis after anticancer treatment.
Stem cells are also used to stimulate hair regrowth. This technique, developed in Japan and recently developed, makes it possible to remedy androgenic alopecia.
Regenerative methods based on adipoderivative stem cells are more than a technique: they have changed the profession of the plastic and aesthetic surgeon. Seen, until recently, as a tailor in charge of tensioning the tissues, today he is the professional who knows the adipose tissue best. He condenses it, refines it and supplies it to other professionals. Stem cells, as well as in plastic and aesthetic surgery, already have applications in orthopaedics, rheumatology, otolaryngology, urology and gynaecology. But their potential is still to be discovered.
