Making more stem cells.
This helps maintain a supply of cells over time.
STEM CELL THERAPY, UNDERSTOOD
The science of renewal.
A clearer view of your options.
Stem cells are changing parts of medicine. Understanding the cell, the treatment and the evidence helps you see where that progress may fit your care.
Explore what stem cells do, why researchers study them, and how to approach a thoughtful clinical evaluation.
Start with an inquiry. A qualified clinician must determine suitability for a specific treatment; this website does not determine candidacy.
Ask questions that matter.
01 / THE FOUNDATIONS
What is a
stem cell?
Most cells have a particular job. Stem cells have the ability to make more cells of their own kind and, within their biological potential, develop into specialized cells. Different stem cells have different capabilities.
Becoming specialized.
A cell develops features needed for a particular function.
In medicine, “stem cell therapy” is an umbrella term. A blood stem cell transplant, a laboratory-manufactured cell product and an injection prepared from tissue are different interventions. The name alone cannot tell you what a treatment will do.
Sources: [21] National Institutes of Health, [26] National Cancer Institute / NIH, [27] Mautner et al. / Nature Medicine
02 / KNOW THE CELL
Similar names.
Important differences.
Ask which cells are involved, where they come from, how they are prepared and what evidence supports the proposed use.
Blood-forming stem cells
Also called hematopoietic stem cells, these produce blood cells. They may be collected from blood, bone marrow or donated cord blood and are used in specialist transplantation for selected diseases.
Sources: [26] National Cancer Institute / NIH
Mesenchymal stromal cells
Often shortened to MSCs and also described as mesenchymal stem cells. Researchers study preparations derived from tissues such as bone marrow, fat and umbilical cord tissue. Their contents and effects depend on the actual preparation.
MSCs are different from the blood-forming cells used in transplantation. The MSC label alone does not establish that every cell has stem-cell properties.
Sources: [11] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [27] Mautner et al. / Nature Medicine, [29] International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy / Cytotherapy
Pluripotent stem cells
Embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can generate many specialized cell types. iPSCs are made by reprogramming mature cells in a laboratory. This is an important research platform, with clinical applications requiring their own evidence and oversight.
Sources: [21] National Institutes of Health
Your own cells or donor cells?
Autologous means cells come from you. Allogeneic means they come from a donor. Neither label, by itself, establishes that a proposed treatment is safe or effective.
Sources: [9] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [26] National Cancer Institute / NIH
03 / THE SCIENTIFIC POSSIBILITY
Why researchers
are interested.
Some cell therapies aim to replace a missing cell function. Others are studied for how they interact with the surrounding tissue or immune system.
Restore a defined function.
Blood-forming stem cells can restore blood-cell production after intensive cancer treatment. This is a concrete example of regenerative medicine with a defined clinical purpose.
Sources: [26] National Cancer Institute / NIH
Understand how cells influence one another.
Scientists investigate how MSCs affect immune activity and the tissue environment. Even the FDA label for the approved MSC product Ryoncil says its mechanism is not clear and may involve immune modulation.
Sources: [27] Mautner et al. / Nature Medicine, [28] U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Measure what matters to patients.
A plausible biological mechanism is the start of a question. Human studies must establish whether a specific treatment improves meaningful outcomes for a specific diagnosis, at an acceptable risk.
Sources: [9] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [27] Mautner et al. / Nature Medicine
Immune signaling, symptom improvement and structural tissue repair are different outcomes. One does not automatically demonstrate the others.
04 / REAL CLINICAL PROGRESS
Cell-based medicine
already has important uses.
Approvals and established care are tied to a defined product, patient population and purpose. These examples explain the field; they are not RegenLuma service offerings.
SPECIALIST TRANSPLANTATION
Blood stem cell transplantation
Used in care for selected blood cancers and other disorders. The purpose may include rebuilding blood formation after intensive treatment. The process, risks and eligibility differ substantially from an outpatient joint injection.
Sources: [26] National Cancer Institute / NIH
FDA-APPROVED MSC PRODUCT
Ryoncil
FDA approved this donor bone marrow-derived MSC therapy in December 2024 for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease in pediatric patients aged 2 months and older. This specific approval does not establish a benefit for arthritis or general wellness.
Sources: [11] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [28] U.S. Food and Drug Administration
A DIFFERENT CELL-BASED APPROACH
MACI cartilage-cell implant
MACI uses a patient's cultured cartilage cells on a membrane to repair defined full-thickness knee cartilage defects in adults. These are cartilage cells, not a generic stem-cell injection. Its approved indication should not be generalized to every arthritic knee.
05 / PUT RESEARCH IN CONTEXT
What about the conditions
you hear about online?
Research can be promising without establishing routine treatment. Evidence for one cell preparation or condition does not transfer automatically to another.
Joint pain, osteoarthritis and orthopedic concerns
People often explore regenerative care hoping for less pain, better function or a way to preserve activity. Those goals deserve a clear diagnosis and a comparison of established and investigational options.
The 2023 MILES randomized study enrolled 480 people with knee osteoarthritis. It compared bone marrow concentrate, adipose stromal vascular fraction and donor umbilical-cord tissue MSCs with corticosteroid injections. In the primary analysis, no cell-based option provided superior pain improvement at 12 months, and no group showed a significant change in its MRI osteoarthritis score.
This study does not answer every question about every product. It does show why “stem cells regrow cartilage” is an inadequate explanation of an individual treatment's evidence.
Sources: [27] Mautner et al. / Nature Medicine, [4] American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
Neurological and autoimmune conditions
A diagnosis such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or lupus does not identify one universal cell treatment. Cell source, preparation, delivery, disease stage and study design all matter.
Specialist blood stem cell transplantation has a role in selected disorders, including some autoimmune care. That is different from assuming an MSC infusion sold for the same diagnosis has the same evidence. Ask your treating specialist about established treatment and appropriately regulated research for your exact condition.
Sources: [9] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [10] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [26] National Cancer Institute / NIH
Healthy aging and general wellness
Broad phrases such as “rejuvenation,” “immune balance” or “cellular repair” need to be translated into a specific clinical goal. Ask what outcome was measured in people, against what comparison, for how long, and with what adverse effects.
A testimonial, cell count or laboratory finding does not demonstrate longer life, whole-body rejuvenation or a benefit for your diagnosis. FDA warns about unapproved human cell and tissue products marketed for a wide range of conditions.
Sources: [9] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [13] U.S. Food and Drug Administration
These are educational research topics, not a list of confirmed RegenLuma treatments. Never stop established care or medicines because of information on this site.
06 / YOUR NEXT STEP
What makes someone
a candidate?
Candidacy is a medical decision about a particular treatment. It starts with understanding you, your diagnosis and the evidence that applies.
- 01
Clarify the diagnosis and goals.
A clinician reviews the concern, examination and relevant records. What would meaningful improvement look like in your daily life?
- 02
Review prior care and personal risks.
Discuss what has been tried, current medicines, allergies and relevant health conditions through an appropriate clinical intake process.
- 03
Evaluate the exact intervention.
Identify the product, source, preparation, route, supporting human studies and regulatory status. If it is research, ask about eligibility, oversight and alternatives.
- 04
Make a plan you understand.
Agree on realistic goals, costs, follow-up, how results will be measured and what happens if there is no benefit. Choosing a different treatment or a second opinion remains an option.
Sources: [9] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [26] National Cancer Institute / NIH, [28] U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Start with a conversation.
Ask about the evaluation process and confirmed service availability. No treatment decision is required.
The inquiry form collects contact details only. It is not a medical screening tool, secure intake or appointment booking. Clinician and consultation arrangements will be confirmed as RegenLuma develops.
Is stem cell therapy the same as PRP or exosomes?
No. PRP concentrates platelets from blood. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles, not stem cells. Cell products differ from both. Ask for a precise description rather than relying on the word “regenerative.” FDA states there are no FDA-approved exosome products.
Sources: [1] AAOS OrthoInfo, [23] U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Are bone marrow concentrate and purified stem cells the same?
No. Bone marrow aspirate concentrate, or BMAC, is a preparation containing multiple components. It should not be treated as interchangeable with a manufactured MSC product. Ask exactly what is in the proposed preparation and which studies tested that preparation.
What risks should I ask about?
Risks depend on the cell source, manufacturing, collection procedure, route and your health. Discuss infection, immune or infusion reactions, unwanted tissue growth and procedure-related injury as relevant. FDA has received serious adverse-event reports involving unapproved regenerative products. “Natural,” “donor screened” and “your own cells” do not establish that an intervention is risk-free.
Ask who manages a complication and how to obtain urgent help. Do not use this website's inquiry form for urgent symptoms.
Sources: [9] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [13] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [28] U.S. Food and Drug Administration
How soon should results appear, and how long might they last?
There is no single timetable for all cell therapies. Ask for results from people with your diagnosis receiving the same intervention, including the chance of no benefit, how long follow-up lasted and whether additional treatment was needed. A change in symptoms does not, by itself, prove tissue regeneration.
Sources: [27] Mautner et al. / Nature Medicine, [28] U.S. Food and Drug Administration
What about price, insurance and treatment packages?
RegenLuma has not published confirmed treatment pricing or coverage. Before paying for any proposed procedure, request a written estimate covering evaluation, testing, the intervention, follow-up and possible additional care. Confirm insurance coverage directly; a package price does not establish medical suitability.
Does a registered clinic or listed trial mean FDA approval?
No. Facility registration and a ClinicalTrials.gov listing are not FDA approval of a product for your condition. A clinic operating in another country follows that country's regulatory framework; that does not create a U.S. FDA approval. Ask for the exact authorization and what it covers.
Sources: [9] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [10] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [22] National Library of Medicine
KEEP LEARNING
Your questions deserve
clear, specific answers.
Selected evidence checked October 21, 2026. Clinical review pending. This page explains a field of medicine and does not establish that a treatment is available or appropriate at RegenLuma.