Amniotic Fluid in Regenerative Medicine
Today, physicians are using stem cell therapies in the treatment of a wide variety of medical conditions and disorders. Presently, the use of amniotic fluid stem cells is commonly used in orthopedics as it may prevent many patients from having to resort to knee replacement or other surgical procedures and improve function of joints following injury or overuse. Practitioners today are also using stem cells in cases that involve pain management, cardiology, rheumatology and neurology to name a few.

Introduction to Anu RHEO+™
Anu RHEO+™ amniotic fluid matrix products are aseptically prepared, minimally manipulated human tissue allografts for homologous use. Anu RHEO+™ is intended to supplement or replace damaged or inadequate connective tissue. Amniotic fluid is the clear to slightly yellowish fluid that surrounds a baby in the uterus. It acts as cushion against hard blows to protect the baby and also helps to regulate the temperature as well. Amniotic fluid is a rich source of nutrients, cytokines, and growth factors that are required for fetal development and maturation.
The new RHEO+™ contains Wharton’s jelly; a mucous tissue within the umbilical cord that protects and insulates blood cells made from mucopolysaccharides such as hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate. The MSC ‘s within Wharton’s jelly consist of functional myofibroblasts that can be isolated with minimal manipulation of the tissue, easily preserving their natural anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative ability without complication or deterioration.
Anu RHEO+™ is a perfect match for synovial fluid in joints and exhibits anti-scarring and anti-adhesion in addition to anti-inflammatory properties.
Advantages of Anu RHEO+™ Over Corticosteroid Injections
Corticosteroid injections have been used for a very long time. Their anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties have made its use a common practice within the medical community. Corticosteroid injections have been shown to be effective in decreasing the inflammation and pain of ligament injuries for up to 8 weeks. Simply, the body heals via inflammation, cortisone inhibits inflammation and healing by disrupting the three characteristic phases: inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling.
Amniotic fluid has very similar characteristics to the synovial fluid that is present in the joints. The natural lubrication and anti-inflammatory properties help to create an ideal environment for your body to help the proliferation and remodeling of the damaged tissue via the native stem cells present in the body.
Rheo Plus™ comes in 1cc and 2cc
What Are the Clinical Benefits?
Typically used for minimally invasive treatment of damaged or inadequate tissue. Amniotic fluid (AF) possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and regenerative properties that make it attractive for use in clinical applications.
Why Would Physicians Be Interested?
Anu RHEO+™ amniotic fluid matrix products with Wharton’s Jelly provide the extracellular matrix needed for the infiltration, attachment and proliferation of cells required for the repair of damaged tissue. Amniotic fluid may reduce scarring, fibrosis, and adhesions in surgical and wound sites. It may also promote tissue regeneration by providing an anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory environment at surgical and wound sites.
Benefits of a High Quality Allograft Versus Bone Marrow or Adipose Tissue
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High proliferative capacity and an abundant supply of live mesenchymal stem cells
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Trilineage differentiation ability – ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm
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Can differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, and neural cells
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Provokes little immune response when transplanted, cell rejection is not an issue and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching is not necessary
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Immunomodulatory properties –
- Cells do not pose risk for metastasis of tumor cells
- Cells promote proteins that halt the cell cycle of cancer cells and promote tumor suppressing genes
- Cells invoke the body’s immune system
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Induce hepatocyte differentiation
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Can differentiate into Schwann cells
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Help organize tendon collagen fibers
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Noninvasive procedures such as liposuction or bone marrow collection. Are more robust than other MSC from other sources such as fat. Range and level of specific cytokines that are different from those expressed by adult mesenchymal stem cells
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Have stronger myogenic potential and engraftment properties
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Have a stronger anti-inflammatory protective effect
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Have less damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS)
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Increased expression of integrin and increased phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase Src and FAK
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Lack the damage from NSAIDs improving the cells viability or plasticity
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Have been shown to differentiate into nervous system cells, liver, pancreas, heart, and other organs of the body
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Continue to express molecules with immune-modulating activity after they are extracted from the umbilical cord and are able to pass this ability to their progeny. This enables the infused donor cells, whether differentiated or not, to engraft into the diseased target organ and positively modify its microenvironment to promote repopulation. The infusion of immunomodulatory MSC’s provides a significant advantage by better overcoming host responses, providing the needed functional bridging action, and modifying the underlying pathological conditions at the basis of disease.
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Retain telomeres at the highest possible length which protects them from premature loss of viability
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A larger amount of different growth factors especially bFGF
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Strong migratory ability toward the site of inflammation
Frequently Asked Questions
Published Studies for the Efficacy of Allograft Tissue Products Derived from Birth Tissue
- Batsali, A. Comparative Analysis of Bone Marrow and Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells. Blood. 2013:122:1212.
- Batsali, AK et.al. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton’s Jelly of the umbilical cord: biological properties and emerging clinical applications. Current Stem Cell Research and Therapeutics. 2-13 Mar: 8(2): 144-55.
- DiMarino, A. et.al. Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Tissue Repair. Frontiers in Immunology. 2013;4:201.
- Doi, H. et.al. Potency of umbilical cord blood- and Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells for scarless wound healing. Scientific Reports 6 :18844(2016).
- F Gao et.al. Mesenchymal stem cells and immunomodulation: current status and future prospects. Cell Death and Disease (2016) 7, e2062; doi:10.1038/cddis.2015.327.
- Hye, J. et.al. Comparative Analysis of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Bone Marrow, Adipose Tissue, and Umbilical Cord Blood as Sources of Cell Therapy. International Journal of Molecular Science 2013 Sep: 14(9): 17986-18001.
- Hsieh J-Y, Wang H-W, Chang S-J, Liao K-H, Lee I-H, Lin W-S, et al. (2013) Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Umbilical Cord Express Preferentially Secreted Factors Related to Neuroprotection, Neurogenesis, and Angiogenesis. PLoS ONE 8(8): e72604. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.007260
- Kalaszczynska, I and Ferdyn, K. Wharton’s Jelly Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Future of Regenerative Medicine? BioMed Research International. Vol 2015 article ID 430847.
- Liu, Y. et.al. Therapeutic Potential of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Research and Therapeutics. 2010; 12(6): R 210.
- Murphy, M. et.al. Mesenchymal stem cells: environmentally responsive therapeutics for regenerative medicine. Experimental and Molecular Medicine. 2013 Nov; 48(1) e54.
- Sobolewski, K. et.al. Wharton’s jelly as a reservoir of peptide growth factors. Placenta. 2005 Nov;26(10):747-52.
- Watson, N. et.al. Discarded Wharton’s Jelly of the Human Umbilical Cord: A Viable Source for Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Cytotherapy. 2015 January; 17(1): 18-24.
- Ye, B. et.al. Rapid biomimetic mineralization of collagen fibrils and combining with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for bone defects healing. Material Science and Engineering C Material Biology Appl. 2016 Nov 1, 68: 43-51.
- Bellamy, et al. Viscosupplementation for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Apr 19;(2):CD005321
- Didier Demesmin, MD Amniotic Fluid as a Homologue to Synovial Fluid: Interim Analysis of Prospective, Multi-Center Outcome Observational Cohort Registry of Amniotic Fluid Treatment for Osteoarthritis of the Knee Presented at the 2015 AAPM Annual Meeting
- Brohlin, et. al, Characterisation of human mesenchymal stem cells following differentiation into Schwann cell-like cells. Neuroscience Research. 2009, 64(1):41-49.
- Chaudhury, S. Mesenchymal stem cell applications to tendon healing. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2012 Jul-Sep; 2(3): 222–229.
- Udalamaththa, V. et.al. Potential Role of Herbal Remedies in Stem Cell Therapy: Proliferation and Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Stem Cell Research and Therapy. (2016) 7:110.
- Aleynik , et. al. Stem cell delivery of therapies for brain disorders. Clinical and Translational Medicine 2014, 3:24
- Li, et. al, Comparative analysis of human mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow and adipose tissue under xeno-free conditions for cell therapy. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2015; 6(1): 55.
- Anzalone R, et al. Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells as candidates for beta cells regeneration: extending the differentiation and immunomodulatory benefits of adult mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Stem Cell Rev. 2011; 7(2):342-63.
- Tesche LJ, Gerber DA. Tissue-derived stem and progenitor cells. Stem Cells International. 2010; 2010:824876.
- Kalaszczynska, et. al, Wharton’s Jelly Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Future of Regenerative Medicine? Recent Findings and Clinical Significance. Biomed Res Int. 2015; 2015: 430847
Clinical Studies on the Capabilities of Amniotic Fluid
There are more than 200,000 peer reviewed scientific publications on pubmed and other medical journals with thousands discussing positive outcomes following the use of amniotic fluid in regenerative medicine.
Types of Allografts we offer
Anu RHEO+
Cord Blood
EXOSOMES
Procurement Process
All birth tissue products are obtained from C-section deliveries from normal, full-term pregnancies. Donors that consent to use of their birth tissues are carefully screened prior to the use of their tissues in manufacturing.
Comprehensive medical and social histories of the donors are obtained and tissues are procured, processed, and tested to minimize potential risks of disease transmission to recipients. Infectious disease testing is performed at a certified laboratory in accordance with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) and 42 CFR part 493.
Each donor is tested for HBsAg (Hepatitis B Surface Antigen), HBcAb (hepatitis B core Antibody), HCV (hepatitis C Antibody), HIV I/II-Ab (Antibody to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Types 1 and Syphilis detection test, HIV NAT (HIV Nucleic Acid Test), and HCV NAT (HCV Nucleic Acid Test).
All products are tested post-sterilization to demonstrate the absence of bacterial and fungal pathogens and are non-pyrogenic. All testing results are reviewed by the Medical Director of Anu Life Sciences (15491 SW 12th Street, STE 408, Sunrise, FL 33326, 888-963-7881) prior to release of product.