Method and device for preparing non-embryonic stem cells

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for preparing a non-expanded tissue derivative, that is not subjected to cell proliferation in vitro, which has a vascular-stromal fraction enriched in stem and multipotent elements, such as pericytes and/or mesenchymal stem cells, or for preparing non-embryonic stem cells obtained from a tissue sample or from such tissue derivative, wherein the tissue derivative or such cells are subjected to vibrations derived from a heart sound to control the degree of differentiation or possible differentiation of the stem and multipotent elements into several other types of cells and optimize their potency. The invention relates also to a device for carrying out the process, to stem cells obtainable by the process as well as a drug for the regeneration of an animal tissue.

1 . A process for preparing a non-expanded tissue derivative, that is not subjected to cell proliferation in vitro, comprising a vascular-stromal fraction enriched in stem and multipotent elements, or for preparing non-embryonic stem cells obtained from a tissue sample or from said tissue derivative, comprises comprising the step of:
 subjecting said tissue derivative or stem cells to vibrations derived from a heart sound, thereby controlling a degree of differentiation or possible differentiation of said stem and multipotent elements into several other types of cells and optimizing potency of said stem and multipotent elements.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of inducing said vibrations through acoustic waves obtained from one or more heart sounds within one or more cardiac cycles of an individual, from whom the tissue sample has been taken, or any other individual, even belonging to a different species, and repeated throughout the process length. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of acquiring, by a sound transmitter, sounds generated by the heart, and storing the sounds on an analog or digital medium, in order to deliver again said sounds, to the stem cells of the tissue derivative, or obtained from the tissue sample or from said derivative. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of acquiring the heart sound by ultrasonography examination, extracting the a Doppler signal from echoes of ultrasound waves received by soundproofing with a probe the heart, or a part thereof, or a blood vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said vibrations are induced through acoustic waves obtained from one or more non-pathologic heart sounds. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 a) preparing the non-expanded tissue derivative by non-enzymatic “minimal manipulation” of original tissue provided as lipoaspirate, said derivative being intended as composed of aggregates of cells of the original tissue, encompassed by a vascular-stromal component containing one or both of the stem cells or the multipotent elements;   b) as an alternative to or in combination with step a), preparing a cell suspension from the tissue sample or from the derivative as of step a), collecting the stem cells from said cell suspension; and   c) subjecting said stem cells of the tissue derivative or obtained from the tissue sample or from the derivative as of step a), to the vibrations derived from the heart sound.   
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 6 , wherein the tissue comprises adipose tissue, and wherein adipose tissue is enzymatically treated for releasing stem cells after reducing the adipose tissue into smaller parts. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the tissue comprises transplantation adipose tissue obtained from lobular fat material, said lobular fat material comprises a fluid component having an oil component, a hematic component or a sterile solution, and a solid component comprising vascular-stromal structures, cell fragments or one or more cell macroagglomerates of heterogeneous size and comprising stem cells,
 the process further comprising the step of dividing said adipose tissue into cell agglomerates having a smaller size than a size of said macroagglomerates, such that said cell or vascular-stromal agglomerates have a size equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and such that said said cell or vascular-stromal agglomerates have sizes that are on average equal to one another,   wherein said cell or vascular-stromal agglomerates are subjected to the vibrations for an entire length of the process or only for a part thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein, as an alternative or in combination with the step of dividing, a step is performed of washing the cell aggregates contemporaneously with a step of separating the fluid component from the solid component. 
     
     
         10 . Stem cells produced with a process according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A device for optimizing potency of non-embryonic stem cells comprising:
 a reproduction unit ( 2 ) configured to reproduce one or more heart sounds;   a speaker element ( 3 ) connected or connectable to an output of said reproduction unit (2); and   a container (5) operatively coupled to the speaker element, the container collecting a non-expanded tissue derivative or product containing non-embryonic stem cells or made of non-embryonic stem cells, such to subject the cells contained therein to sound waves coming from said speaker element ( 3 ).   
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the reproduction unit comprises an input for reading heart sound samples stored into a storage element ( 101 ), and a sound processing chain ( 2 ) for reconstructing and outputting said heart sounds. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 12 , further comprising an acquisition unit configured to supply the heart sounds to the reproduction unit ( 2 ), said acquisition unit comprising a transducer element ( 4 ) and a processing chain ( 1 ) configured to store the heart sounds when said transducer element ( 4 ) is placed in contact with or near the heart or a blood vessel of a living being. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the transducer element ( 4 ) comprises a microphone. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the transducer element ( 4 ) comprises an ultrasound probe, the acquisition unit (1) being an apparatus for ultrasonic Doppler flow-metering configured to extract samples of audio Doppler signals and to store said samples on a storage element ( 101 ), the reproduction unit ( 2 ) having access thereto. 
     
     
         17 . A device for optimizing potency of non-embryonic stem cells comprising:
 a reproduction unit ( 2 ) configured to reproduce one or more heart sounds; and   a speaker element ( 3 ) connected or connectable to an output of said reproduction unit ( 2 ),   wherein the speaker element ( 3 ) is configured as a probe configured to be coupled to a body of a patient in order to induce vibrations directly to stem cells provided in a tissue.   
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the vascular-stromal fraction enriched in stem and multipotent elements comprises one or both of pericytes or mesenchymal stem cells. 
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 6 , wherein the aggregates of cells of the original tissue are adipocytes from the lipoaspirate, the stem or the multipotent elements are pericytes and mesenchymal stem cells, and the cell suspension is prepared in a CO 2  incubator. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the heart sounds are processed and repeated for a length of a process carried out in the device.