Regenerative Medicine is a form of tissue engineering and molecular biology which deal with “the process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function”. When injured or invaded by disease, our bodies have the innate response to heal and defend. Harnessing and enhancing the body’s own regenerative power is a medical practice at the frontier of present-day advancements whose properties can seem miraculous who those who benefit from them. The miracle, however, is the result of scientific exploration that has begun to unlock and utilize the body’s extraordinary ability to heal and restore itself.

There are currently two different ways that people are getting regenerative treatments in the United States. One is autologous which means it comes directly from the patient being treated, and the other is allogeneic meaning the product is donated from a donor of the same species. Products derived from perinatal tissue is where our current focus is.

These products are obtained from healthy, carefully screened mothers at the time of scheduled cesarean section. The consent is obtained at approximately the eight month of pregnancy at the criteria for donation is established by the Food and drug Administration, the Center for Disease Control and the American Association of Tissue Banks. The criteria included a thorough medical and social screening and a complete panel of serological testing to ensure the patient is free from transmissible diseases. At the time of birth, a trained technician will be present and will collect the amniotic fluid, placenta and umbilical cord which are then sent to the processing facility where they will be cultured processed and retested prior to release for clinical use.