We continue to review smart devices in regenerative medicine and
stem cell research, which we call “gadgets“. This is the first
review in 2012. If you find this series interesting, please
leave your feedback. I’d like to start from a device, which is
undergoing clinical trial right now. 1. “Stem Cell Educator”
device for treatment of diabetes type 1 Stem Cell Educator (made
by Tianhe Stem Cell Biotechnology, China) – extracorporeal
device, which composed of cartridges filled with allogeneic cord
blood-derived multipotent stem cells. Stem cells were isolated
by published protocol and cultured for 2-3 weeks. During the
procedure, patient’s leukocytes, enriched in Blood Cell
Separator MCS+ (Haemonetics), undergo “education” with cord
blood stem cells during 2-3 hours and get re-infused: (Zhao et
al. BMC Medicine 2012 10:3 doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-3) Stem Cell
Educator therapy can markedly improve C-peptide levels, reduce
the median glycated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) values, and decrease
the median daily dose of ins