Care for the Critically Injured Burn Patient Modulation of Burn Scars Through Laser Assisted Delivery of Stem Cells

The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that hypertrophic burn scars can be remodeled by fractional laser treatment andadministration of stem cells. Finding the best ways to combine these approaches is a goal of this proposal. During the period of this reportwe have been completing an examination of the effect of administering autologous and allogeneic bone marrow derived mesechymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and adipose derived stem cells (ADSC) to hypertrophic third degree burn scars in Red Duroc pigs using ablative fractional CO2 or Erbium:YAG lasers. Epidermal and superficial dermal remodeling was noted to varying degrees in specimens treated with BM-MSCs and ADSCs by both lasers. Further Western blot, cell culture and Real Time PCR analysis along with additional studies performed on uninjured skin have indicated that: i) CO2 laser can have a more tissue damaging effect than Erbium:YAG laser, ii) autologous stem cells appear to generate a less fibrotic response, iii) cells derived from autologous stem cell treated burns have a more immature phenotype, iv) collagen indicative of dermal remodeling may be more persistent when burns are treated with autologous BM-MSCs, and v) cells derived from stem cell treated burns appear to peak 14 Days after treatment and taper significantly beyond 21 Days after treatment. Overall, these findings indicate that Erbium:YAG and perhaps autologous stem cells may have and advantage in treating hypertrophic burn scars. They also suggest that repeat administration is likely to be beneficial, again favoring the use of autologous cells

Autologous Blood Products: When, Where, and How?

Autologous blood eye drops have become an interesting, well-known, and widely used therapeutic option for many ocular surface diseases since their introduction into the ophthalmologic field forty-six years ago. The foundation for their use in the treatment of pathologies such as severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca, persistent epithelial defects, ocular chemical burns, recurrent epithelial erosions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, ocular graft versus host disease, and, lately, in many other ocular surface conditions, relies on the fact that they contain proteins, vitamins, cytokines, and growth factors that participate in the signaling pathways of corneal epithelial healing in similar amounts to those found in normal, healthy tear film