Home › What are Hematopoietic Stem Cells—and Why Should You Care?

What are Hematopoietic Stem Cells—and Why Should You Care?

by Dr. John Haasis

A hematopoietic stem cell is found in bone marrow and produces all blood cell types, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Hematopoietic stem cells are multipotent cells, meaning they self-renew and continuously repair blood cells. This ability offers several revolutionary applications in medicine, including life-saving cures for leukemia, lymphomas, blood disorders, and more. ⁽¹⁾

Dr. John C. Haasis III is a board-certified, fellowship-trained pain management anesthesiologist and the medical director and founder of the Daisy Institute, one of the leading stem cell centers in the Carolinas. With more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Haasis helps patients feel their best, improve their immune system, replace destroyed bone marrow, and produce new functional blood in their bodies. Contact us online or call the office nearest you at (864) 775-5682 to learn more about how hematopoietic stem cell therapy can make you feel stronger and healthier.

Our office locations in South Carolina and North Carolina include:

Greenville
Spartanburg
Columbia
Anderson
Asheville

Contents

1 About Hematopoietic Stem Cells
2 What Can Hematopoietic Stem Cells Do?
3 Who Benefits from Hematopoietic Stem Cells?
4 Personal Consultation
5 What to Expect After Stem Cell Therapy
6 Corresponding Procedures
7 Cost of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy in the Carolinas
8 FAQ
9 References

About Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Stem cells are a special type of cell that have two important properties: they are able to produce more cells like themselves, or they can transform into other types of cells with specific functions. Hematopoietic stem cells, for example, reside in the bone marrow and can produce all the cells that function in the bloodstream. However, they can also become brain cells, heart cells, bone cells, or other cell types. ⁽²⁾

Hematopoiesis begins with an originator cell that is common to all blood cell types, which is a hematopoietic stem cell that develops into a “blast” cell. This type of cell goes through many cell divisions and changes before it becomes a fully mature blood cell. This process is called hematopoiesis, and it has three variations for different blood cell types:

Erythropoiesis: Red blood cell production
Leukopoiesis: White blood cell production
Thrombopoiesis: Platelet production ⁽²⁾

With each change, an originator cell becomes more specialized, adopting the properties, role, and benefits of a new, specific cell type.

What Can Hematopoietic Stem Cells Do?

Hematopoietic stem cells are vital for maintaining the immune system and oxygen transportation regulation. They have also shown a strong ability to treat blood cancers and other diseases because they produce all blood components.

Hematopoietic stem cells play an important role in the body, including:

Maintaining homeostasis: Every day, your body must replace billions of blood cells. Hematopoietic stem cells ensure your red blood cell count remains stable for oxygen transport, your white blood cell levels are sufficient for immunity, and your platelets are at an optimal level for clotting.
Emergency response: If your body experiences trauma, significant blood loss, or a severe infection, your normal production of new blood cells is not enough. In case of an emergency, hematopoietic stem cells can “activate” to rapidly produce a surge of white blood cells or platelets to immediately address damage.
Lifelong repair: Hematopoietic stem cells are self-renewing, and the reason why your blood and immune systems do not “run out” is that normal aging occurs. They act as permanent and regenerative factories in your bones to keep your body functioning properly into your later years. ⁽³⁾

Who Benefits from Hematopoietic Stem Cells?

The ideal candidates for hematopoietic stem cells are patients with high-risk blood cancers, severe aplastic anemia, or immune disorders. Patients who have leukemias, Hodgkin’s/non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and severe aplastic anemia may also benefit from this powerful treatment. Patients with conditions like multiple sclerosis or significant, chronic inflammation can also improve their conditions with these treatments. It also treats diseases with fewer long-term, life-threatening immunological complications like graft-host disease. Patients should otherwise be in relatively good health and younger than 70 years old. Hematopoietic stem cell treatments are not ideal for patients with aggressive, relapsed, or high-risk diseases that have not responded to conventional chemotherapy in the past. ⁽⁴⁾ Dr. Haasis will explore your medical history to determine your treatment options during your consultation.

Personal Consultation

During your personal consultation, Dr. Haasis will review your medical history, health status, and overall health to determine your eligibility for treatment. He will also perform blood, heart, and lung tests to determine the most effective approach. Dr. Haasis will also answer any questions or concerns you may have so you feel confident and comfortable in every step of your treatment. Contact us online or call (864) 775-5682 to reach one of our office locations in South or North Carolina.

What to Expect After Stem Cell Therapy

The effects of hematopoietic stem cell therapy depend on the concerns and conditions you address, as well as the scale of your treatment, the amount of stem cells you receive, and more. Close, ongoing monitoring is crucial, as time is necessary for stem cells to differentiate and specialize into other cells. Dr. Haasis will closely monitor your progress with frequent blood testing and discussion of symptoms. Maintaining a high-protein and safe-food diet, as well as preventing infections and potentially taking prophylactic medication, will aid stem cells in addressing your concerns.

Corresponding Procedures

Exosomes Therapy

Exosome therapy aids in healing and reversing signs of aging; it facilitates the flow of communication between cells, which allows them to grow properly and coordinate their abilities to heal faster. Combining exosome therapy with hematopoietic stem cell therapy enhances stem cell efficiency by reducing inflammation, promoting tissue repair, and improving cell-to-cell communication.

Stem Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases

Stem cell therapy for autoimmune diseases helps to heal damaged tissues and optimizes the immune system to help immunocompromised patients alleviate their symptoms and improve their health. Stem cell therapy specifically targets the treatment area without suppressing the immune response of the patient’s whole body. Pairing this specific stem cell therapy with hematopoietic stem cell therapy assists in rebuilding a new and self-tolerated immune system response and helps treat any severe diseases.

Stem Cells for Peripheral Neuropathy

Stem cells for peripheral neuropathy help treat a condition where damaged nerve cells outside the brain and spinal cord cause discomfort. Peripheral neuropathy can arise from conditions like diabetes, autoimmune diseases, or other infections. This therapy assists in boosting healing and regeneration in damaged areas. When combining it with hematopoietic stem cell therapy, the two help repair nerve damage and reduce inflammation while resetting the immune system to fight against autoimmune attacks or chronic conditions.

Cost of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy in the Carolinas

The cost of your hematopoietic stem cell therapy depends on the level of complications or concerns, the amount of stem cells you receive, your personal goals, and the duration of your treatment. Dr. Haasis will determine the exact cost after creating a personal treatment plan during your personal consultation. To learn more about your cost and schedule your personal consultation, contact us online or call (864) 775-5682 to reach one of our office locations in South Carolina and North Carolina:

Greenville
Spartanburg
Columbia
Anderson
Asheville

FAQ

What does hematopoietic stem cell therapy help with?

Hematopoietic stem cell therapy can assist the body in self-renewal and continuously repair blood cells. This has several applications, including alleviating minor inflammation and offering potential life-saving cures for leukemia, lymphomas, blood disorders, and more.

How quickly do hematopoietic stem cells work?

Hematopoietic stem cell therapy begins to work within two to six weeks as the stem cells start to produce blood cells. However, long-term effects show up after 6-12 months.

What makes hematopoietic cells so powerful?

Hematopoietic stem cells live in the bone marrow and are primarily responsible for producing all the cells that function in the bloodstream. However, they can also become brain cells, heart cells, bone cells, or other cell types.

Can I combine hematopoietic stem cell therapy with other treatments?

Yes, you can combine hematopoietic stem cell therapy with other treatments like exosome therapy, stem cell therapy for autoimmune diseases, stem cells for peripheral neuropathy, and possibly more. Dr. Haasis will walk you through the treatment that will enhance your health and will not interfere with your current health conditions.

How much does hematopoietic stem cell therapy cost?

The cost of your hematopoietic stem cell therapy depends on the treatment type, the level of complications, and more. Dr. Haasis will determine the exact cost after creating a personal treatment plan during your personal consultation.

What does hematopoietic stem cell therapy treat?

Hematopoietic stem cell therapy treats malignant and non-malignant diseases by replacing damaged bone marrow with healthy cells. It can also help treat blood cancers, blood disorders, immune diseases, and more.