New regulations in September 2018 opened a new era of healthcare in Taiwan
In September 6, 2018, Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare passed "Regulations Governing the Application or Use of Specific Medical Techniques or Examinations, or Medical Devices" and opened 6 "cell therapy" technologies which demonstrates the government's recognition of cell therapy and confirms the effectiveness of cell therapy in medical treatment, opening a new era of healthcare in Taiwan.
In simple terms, the main role of immune cells is to destroy bacteria, aged cells, diseased cells and cancer cells. Stem cells, on the other hand, help cells to repair and restore normal cell differentiation. Immune cells are like the military and police forces in the country responsible for protecting the country and maintaining law and order, while stem cells are like the economic and transportation construction departments in the country responsible for promoting prosperity and enhancing people's well-being. They have different functions and are indispensable to each other.
In recent years, many studies have found that senescence cells secrete inflammation-promoting signaling molecules called Senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). They can contaminate the normal tissues around them, increasing the extent and scale of inflammation and worsening the body's environment. The inflammatory response caused by SASP sends a distress signal to the immune system, allowing immune cells to gather at the site of inflammation and act like scavengers to remove aging cells. After the space occupied by aging and waste cells is cleared out, the stem cells will regenerate new cells to replace the aging cells cleared by the scavenger, allowing the tissues and organs to function normally. This process is known as the cycle of Senescence -> Clearance -> Regeneration.
However, as we get older, the immune system's response to inflammation slowly becomes blunted, causing more and more senescence cells to accumulate, resulting in chronic inflammation and eventually disease. Therefore, if we can properly remove aging and waste cells at each stage, provide the nutrients needed for cell repair, and provide the seeds for regeneration and repair, we can start the virtuous cycle of rejuvenation.