Pradeep V Mahajan
StemRx Bioscience Solutions Pvt. Ltd., India
Title: Cell-based therapy: A Ray of Hope for Infertile Couples
Biography
Biography: Pradeep V Mahajan
Abstract
Parenthood is considered a blessing in the life of a couple. In particular, becoming a mother is one of the most beautiful phases of a woman’s life. Unfortunately, with changing lifestyles, stress, and the increasing incidence of diseases, the rates of infertility have also increased.
Infertility is a condition in which a sexually active couple fails to conceive, even without using contraceptive techniques after 1 year. The WHO ranks infertility in the young population as the fifth highest serious global disability. A survey conducted in India reported that the prevalence of primary infertility among women in urban areas was approximately 4%, while that among those in rural areas was 3.7%. However, considering various social, psychological, financial, and other factors, the estimates of infertility vary widely among Indian states. Male and female infertility can be attributed to various causes such as:
- Dysfunction in hormones for sperm production,
- Erection and ejaculation problems,
- Blockage of sperm transport,
- Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes,
- Fibroids, endometriosis,
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome etc.
Standard care procedures applied in infertility clinics include assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) with hormonal treatments and chemotherapy as well as intra-uterine-insemination (IUI), among others. Nonetheless, there are inherent limitations associated with the process as well as hopefulness and disappointment with each passing month that does not result in a pregnancy.
In recent years, cell-based therapy has gained popularity to treat various conditions. The classical dogma regarding female fecundity was that a female is born with fixed number of follicles. However, this has now been challenged by detection of ovarian stem cells (OSC) in the ovarian surface epithelium. Similarly, progenitor cells have also been identified in male testicles. Furthermore, treatment of infertility with adult stem cells, which have the capability to transdifferentiate into oocyte-like cells and spermatogonial stem cells, is a promising approach. The human body can be considered a “bioreactor,” which provides a favorable, natural environment to the transplanted cells.
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the male germ line stem cells, which are responsible for the production of sperms throughout life. These cells when transplanted can treat male infertility by stimulating spermatogenesis. Similarly, in cases of female infertility, transdifferentiation into oocytes is possible which can then be used for in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition, mesenchymal stem cells can be obtained from these tissue sources as well as from bone marrow and adipose/fat tissue for management of various conditions. Furthermore, novel regenerative medicine approaches for infertility management include the use of very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) and lyophilized platelet rich plasma that have shown tremendous potential in preserving fecundity as well as in endogenous regeneration of healthy cells.
Other causes of infertility may also be treated with cell-based therapy alone or a combination of cellular and assisted reproductive techniques. Genetic modification of germ lines will be possible in the future to treat and preserve fecundity in infertile patients.
This presentation will explain each of the aforementioned aspects in detail to provide novel insights into the treatment of infertility.