Ep 42 MSCs vs. Dezawa MUSEcells™: Understanding Dose, Value, and When Each Makes Sense

Ep 42 MSCs vs. Dezawa MUSEcells™: Understanding Dose, Value, and When Each Makes Sense

To learn more about regenerative and restorative stem cell therapy treatments, visit www.stemshealthregenerativemedicine.com or schedule a consultation at our Miami Beach clinic, located at 925 W 41st St #300A, Miami Beach, FL 33140, You can also reach us by phone at (305) 677.0565. ------------- MSCs vs. Dezawa MUSEcells™: Understanding Dose, Value, and When Each Makes Sense If you've been looking into regenerative medicine, you've probably run into two terms a lot. Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, and Dezawa MUSEcells. Your first question is probably the obvious one. Which one should I actually get? At STEMS Health, Drs. Ankeet Choxi and Jarred Mait get this question constantly. The honest answer is, it depends on your biology, your condition, and the dose required to get the job done. MSCs work through paracrine signaling. They release bioactive molecules that calm inflammation and support tissue repair across a broad area. They're not precise, but they're powerful when you need a wide, systemic effect. Dezawa MUSEcells are different. They're a distinct pluripotent cell population discovered by Dr. Mari Dezawa, and their defining trait is precision. They self-direct toward damaged tissue, responding to the body's own distress signals, and differentiate once they get there. Think of MSCs as a wide net, and MUSEcells as cells that already know where they're going. Here's where patients are usually surprised. A typical MSC protocol might use around fifty million cells. A Dezawa MUSEcells protocol often uses somewhere between ten and twenty five million. That's not because MUSEcells are a lesser therapy. It's because they work differently. Since they home directly to the site that needs them, you need fewer cells to get a comparable, or even better, result. That's also where the value conversation comes in. As an MSC dose climbs higher, the cost climbs with it. At a certain point, a much smaller dose of Dezawa MUSEcells becomes more efficient and more cost effective. That's not a sales discount. It's just what happens when you need far fewer cells to do the same work. That said, MUSEcells aren't automatically the better choice for everyone. Some conditions call for the broad effect a higher volume MSC protocol provides. Others are better served by the targeted, lower dose approach. So how do you know which one is right for you? That comes down to a structured evaluation, looking at your inflammatory baseline, your imaging at the treatment site, and your prior treatment history. That evaluation, not a default package, determines whether MSCs, Dezawa MUSEcells, or a specific dose of either, is the right fit. One more thing worth mentioning. Exosomes, tiny vesicles released by MSCs, are still part of the toolkit and may come up in your evaluation. But for most patients today, the real decision point is MSCs versus MUSEcells, with dose as the key variable. If you're trying to figure out where you fall in that comparison, the next step is a real evaluation with Drs. Choxi and Mait, not a guess based on a podcast. Reach out to STEMS Health to find out which path fits your biology. Disclaimer The information provided in this podcast episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Treatments and outcomes described may not be appropriate for every individual. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider to determine the best course of care for your specific needs. Certain regenerative medicine procedures discussed – such as stem cell therapy, exosome therapy, or other biologic treatments – may be considered investigational or not FDA-approved for all conditions. Florida law requires that we disclose this status. While these procedures are offered in accordance with state and federal guidelines, their safety and efficacy have not been fully established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Results vary, and no guarantee of specific outcome or benefit is implied. All medical procedures involve potential risks, which should be discussed with your treating provider prior to treatment. © STEMS Health Regenerative Medicine, Miami Beach, Florida. All rights reserved.

Ep. 41 Does More Dezawa Muse Stem Cells Mean Better Results?

To learn more about regenerative and restorative stem cell therapy treatments, visit www.stemshealthregenerativemedicine.com or schedule a consultation at our Miami Beach clinic, located at 925 W 41st St #300A, Miami Beach, FL 33140, You can also reach us by phone at (305) 677.0565. ------------- Does More Dezawa Muse Stem Cells Mean Better Results? In regenerative medicine, numbers move people. Cell counts appear in marketing materials, comparison charts, and patient forums. The assumption behind them is intuitive: more cells delivered to a damaged tissue should mean a stronger regenerative signal, a faster recovery, a better outcome. At STEMS Health in Miami Beach, Drs. Ankeet Choxi and Jarred Mait encounter this assumption constantly. And their clinical experience points to a different conclusion. Cell count is a data point. It is not a clinical outcome. What determines whether a Dezawa Muse stem cell preparation actually performs is not how many cells are in the vial. It is whether those cells are potent, whether they are viable, and whether they are being administered with physician-guided precision to a correctly identified target. Potency refers to a cell's functional capacity. Can it recognize and home to damaged tissue? Can it differentiate into the appropriate cell type once it arrives? Can it modulate the immune environment in a way that supports healing rather than triggering resistance? These are biological capabilities — not quantities. A preparation with a lower cell count but high potency, confirmed through strong SSEA-3 expression and robust differentiation markers, will outperform a high-volume, low-potency preparation in virtually every clinical scenario. Viability refers to how many of those cells are alive and metabolically active at the moment of injection. Cells lose viability during handling, transport, and storage. A preparation marketed at a high cell count may arrive at the injection site with a fraction of those cells actually capable of therapeutic activity. Dead cells produce no regenerative signal. They do not differentiate. They do not modulate. They simply occupy space in a protocol that the patient paid for and trusted. This is why the sourcing environment, processing standards, and delivery timing of a Muse cell preparation carry clinical weight. At STEMS Health, lab data on each preparation is reviewed before administration. Viability percentage, SSEA-3 positivity, differentiation capacity — these are not background details. They are part of the clinical decision. There is also a risk that runs counter to the more-is-better assumption. Introducing an excessive volume of biological material into the body without calibration to the patient's immune status, inflammatory baseline, and injury profile can trigger unintended inflammatory cascades. The goal of a regenerative protocol is not to maximize cell volume. It is to deliver cells that are fit to perform, in a quantity appropriate to the patient's individual biology, at a site that has been confirmed through diagnostic precision. At STEMS Health, every Muse cell protocol begins with a structured pre-treatment evaluation. The diagnosis is confirmed through imaging and clinical correlation. The patient's immune and inflammatory baseline is assessed. The preparation is reviewed for quality markers. The injection site is evaluated for anatomical targeting. Only when that evaluation is complete does the protocol take shape. That process cannot be replaced by a higher number on a marketing sheet. It requires a physician who understands what they are treating, why they are treating it, and what quality of biological material is being delivered into a body that is depending on that judgment. When patients evaluate regenerative medicine providers, the most important questions are not about volume. They are about potency, viability, diagnostic process, and physician-guided protocol design. Those are the variables that determine what happens after treatment. And at STEMS Health, those are the variables that guide every decision made before it. This is STEMS Health — regenerative medicine in Miami Beach, guided by clinical precision.

Ep 40 What Does Stem Cell Passage Mean In Regenrative Therapy?

To learn more about regenerative and restorative stem cell therapy treatments, visit www.stemshealthregenerativemedicine.com or schedule a consultation at our Miami Beach clinic, located at 925 W 41st St #300A, Miami Beach, FL 33140, You can also reach us by phone at (305) 677.0565. ------------- Today we’re breaking down a term that comes up in regenerative medicine, but isn’t always clearly explained—stem cell passage. If you’ve been researching treatments, you’ve probably seen numbers tied to cell counts. Millions of cells, sometimes more. But what’s often missing from that conversation is how those cells were grown before they were used. That’s where passage comes in. At its simplest, stem cell passage refers to how many times cells have been grown and re-cultured in a lab. It starts with an initial population—what’s often called passage zero. As those cells divide and multiply, they eventually need more space. So they’re split, transferred into new environments, and allowed to grow again. Each time that cycle happens, the passage number increases. So when someone refers to early passage or late passage cells, they’re talking about how many rounds of expansion those cells have gone through. Now, this process—called in vitro expansion—is what allows labs to take a relatively small starting sample and grow it into a much larger number of cells. From a production standpoint, it’s efficient. It makes treatments more scalable. But there’s another side to it. As cells continue to divide, they don’t just increase in number—they also begin to change. Early passage cells tend to behave more like they did in their original environment. They may be more responsive to signals, more adaptable, and more consistent in how they function. As passage number increases, cells can gradually shift. Their signaling behavior may change. Their ability to adapt to new environments may become less predictable. Over time, they may begin to reflect the lab conditions they were grown in, rather than the tissue they came from. This doesn’t happen all at once. And it doesn’t mean later passage cells don’t work. But it does introduce a variable. So now you have a balance. On one side, you have quantity. More passages mean more cells. On the other side, you have functional characteristics—how those cells behave once they’re used. And that leads to a common question: is more always better? The answer depends on what the treatment is trying to do. If the goal is primarily signaling—helping influence inflammation or communicate with surrounding tissue—then higher passage cells may still play a meaningful role. But if the goal involves more direct interaction with tissue—responding to damage, adapting to a specific environment, or participating in longer-term repair—then the characteristics of the cells may matter more than the total number. This is especially relevant in targeted treatments, like joint or spine procedures, where cells are placed precisely into a specific area. In those cases, how the cells behave locally can be more important than how many are delivered overall. Another important distinction is between viability and potency. Viability refers to how many cells are alive. Potency refers to what those cells are capable of doing. You can have a high number of viable cells, but if their functional characteristics have shifted over time, their behavior may be different than earlier passage cells. So again, it’s not just about the number—it’s about the profile. One reason passage isn’t always discussed is because it’s more complex than a single metric. It doesn’t give you a simple comparison point like total cell count. Instead, it’s part of a bigger picture that includes how the cells were sourced, how they were processed, and how they’re being used. But understanding it adds an important layer of context. Because in regenerative medicine, how something is made can influence how it works. So the takeaway here is simple: stem cell passage is a measure of how cells are expanded in the lab. As passage increases, so does quantity—but the cells may also undergo gradual changes that affect how they behave. And when you’re evaluating treatment options, that balance between expansion and function is worth understanding. Disclaimer The information provided in this podcast episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Treatments and outcomes described may not be appropriate for every individual. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider to determine the best course of care for your specific needs. Certain regenerative medicine procedures discussed – such as stem cell therapy, exosome therapy, or other biologic treatments – may be considered investigational or not FDA-approved for all conditions. Florida law requires that we disclose this status. While these procedures are offered in accordance with state and federal guidelines, their safety and efficacy have not been fully established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Results vary, and no guarantee of specific outcome or benefit is implied. All medical procedures involve potential risks, which should be discussed with your treating provider prior to treatment. © STEMS Health Regenerative Medicine, Miami Beach, Florida. All rights reserved.

Ep 39 Why Can’t We Get Certain Stem Cell Treatments in the U.S.?

To learn more about regenerative and restorative stem cell therapy treatments, visit www.stemshealthregenerativemedicine.com or schedule a consultation at our Miami Beach clinic, located at 925 W 41st St #300A, Miami Beach, FL 33140, You can also reach us by phone at (305) 677.0565. ------------- Today we’re addressing a question that comes up often in regenerative medicine conversations: why can’t we get certain stem cell treatments here in the United States? If you’ve done any research, you’ve probably seen clinics in other countries offering therapies that don’t seem to be available domestically. On the surface, that can feel confusing. It may even raise the question—are we behind? The reality is more structured than that. In the U.S., access to stem cell therapies is shaped by regulation—specifically, oversight from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is responsible for evaluating biologic treatments, including cell-based therapies, to determine whether they are safe, consistent, and effective for patient use. And the way they do that is by applying a defined framework. At the center of that framework are a few key ideas. One is minimal manipulation—how much the cells have been altered outside the body. The more a therapy changes the structure or function of those cells, the more regulatory oversight it requires. Another is homologous use—whether the cells are being used in a way that matches their original function. If they’re used for something different, that typically places the therapy into a more regulated category. These distinctions may sound technical, but they directly determine what can be offered in a clinical setting and what requires further approval. So when a treatment isn’t available in the U.S., it’s often because it hasn’t yet moved through the full regulatory process. That process usually begins with what’s called an investigational pathway, where therapies are studied in controlled environments. From there, they move through multiple phases of clinical trials—each one designed to evaluate safety, dosing, and effectiveness. And this is where time becomes a factor. Even promising therapies can take years to complete this process. Not because they don’t work, but because they haven’t yet generated the level of data required for broad approval. Another layer to this is standardization. Biologic therapies are complex. They involve living or biologically derived materials, which means consistency matters. The FDA requires adherence to manufacturing standards that ensure each treatment is produced under controlled conditions and behaves predictably. That’s part of what’s known as good manufacturing practice. These requirements help reduce variability and improve safety, but they also add complexity to development and approval. In other countries, regulatory systems may operate differently. Some allow therapies to reach patients more quickly, often with different thresholds for data and oversight. That can make treatments appear more accessible internationally. But availability doesn’t always mean the same level of evaluation or consistency. So rather than thinking of it as a gap, it’s more accurate to see it as a difference in how systems approach risk, data, and patient protection. It’s also important to note that regenerative medicine is not absent in the U.S. Certain therapies are available within defined regulatory boundaries, and others can be accessed through clinical trials or limited pathways designed for investigational treatments. So the landscape isn’t closed—it’s structured. And that structure reflects a balance between two things: innovation and oversight. Regenerative medicine is advancing quickly. New therapies are being developed all the time. But bringing those therapies into widespread use requires a process that evaluates how they perform—not just in theory, but across real patient populations. For patients, the takeaway is this: when a treatment isn’t available in the U.S., it doesn’t necessarily mean it lacks potential. More often, it means it’s still moving through a system designed to understand it more fully. And asking the right questions—about regulatory status, clinical data, and how a therapy is being evaluated—can provide a clearer picture than availability alone.   Disclaimer The information provided in this podcast episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Treatments and outcomes described may not be appropriate for every individual. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider to determine the best course of care for your specific needs. Certain regenerative medicine procedures discussed – such as stem cell therapy, exosome therapy, or other biologic treatments – may be considered investigational or not FDA-approved for all conditions. Florida law requires that we disclose this status. While these procedures are offered in accordance with state and federal guidelines, their safety and efficacy have not been fully established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Results vary, and no guarantee of specific outcome or benefit is implied. All medical procedures involve potential risks, which should be discussed with your treating provider prior to treatment. © STEMS Health Regenerative Medicine, Miami Beach, Florida. All rights reserved.

Ep 38 Red Flags in Muse Stem Cell Therapy Follow-Up

To learn more about regenerative and restorative stem cell therapy treatments, visit www.stemshealthregenerativemedicine.com or schedule a consultation at our Miami Beach clinic, located at 925 W 41st St #300A, Miami Beach, FL 33140, You can also reach us by phone at (305) 677.0565. ------------- Today we’re talking about something that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in regenerative medicine—follow-up care. Specifically, what to look for after Muse stem cell therapy, and how to recognize when follow-up may not be structured the way it should be. When most people think about treatment, they focus on the procedure itself. The cells, the injection, the day of the visit. But with regenerative therapies, that’s only one part of the process. What happens after the procedure is where outcomes begin to take shape. MUSE cell therapy works over time. The body responds gradually through processes like cell signaling, immune modulation, and tissue adaptation. That means results don’t show up all at once, and they don’t always follow a straight line. Because of that, follow-up care becomes part of the treatment—not just something that happens after it. So what does it look like when follow-up isn’t quite where it should be? One of the first signs is when communication feels unstructured. There’s no clear schedule for check-ins, no guidance on when updates should happen, and patients are left to reach out only when something feels off. In that kind of environment, it becomes harder to understand what’s normal and what isn’t. Subtle improvements might go unnoticed, and temporary discomfort might feel more concerning than it actually is. Another common issue is when recovery guidance is too general. After treatment, patients are often told to “take it easy” or “listen to your body.” While that sounds reasonable, it doesn’t provide much direction. Regenerative therapies usually require a balance—some level of movement to support function, but also enough protection to allow tissue to adapt. Without clear guidance, patients are left to guess. And that can influence how well the treatment integrates over time. There’s also the question of how progress is being tracked. If follow-up is based only on general conversation—how are you feeling, any changes—it can be difficult to measure what’s actually happening. Without a baseline or consistent reference points, even meaningful improvements can be hard to quantify. Structured follow-up doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should create a way to see patterns over time. Another thing to pay attention to is whether follow-up feels individualized. Regenerative medicine is built around the idea that each patient responds differently. But if every patient is placed on the same timeline, with the same expectations, that can suggest a more standardized approach. Some patients need closer monitoring early on. Others may need more time between check-ins. A thoughtful follow-up plan adjusts to that. And then there’s the bigger picture—how the treatment fits into everything else. MUSE cell therapy is often part of a broader strategy that might include physical therapy, movement work, or other supportive care. If follow-up doesn’t connect those pieces, the treatment can start to feel isolated. When care is integrated, each part supports the other. When it’s not, progress can become less predictable. Finally, there’s expectation setting. Regenerative therapies don’t always follow a predictable timeline. Improvement can be gradual. Sometimes there are periods where things feel unchanged, or even temporarily more noticeable before they improve. If that’s not explained ahead of time, it can lead to uncertainty. Patients may question whether the treatment is working, when in reality they may be within a normal phase of response. So what does strong follow-up look like? It’s clear, structured, and responsive. There’s a plan for communication. There’s guidance for recovery. There’s a way to track progress. And there’s flexibility to adjust based on how the body responds. And importantly, it creates a partnership. The provider brings clinical perspective, and the patient brings real-world feedback. Together, that builds a more complete picture of how treatment is unfolding. The key takeaway here is simple: in MUSE stem cell therapy, the procedure is only one part of the process. Follow-up is where that treatment is observed, understood, and supported over time. And when follow-up is done well, it helps bring clarity to a process that is, by nature, gradual and evolving. Disclaimer The information provided in this podcast episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Treatments and outcomes described may not be appropriate for every individual. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider to determine the best course of care for your specific needs. Certain regenerative medicine procedures discussed – such as stem cell therapy, exosome therapy, or other biologic treatments – may be considered investigational or not FDA-approved for all conditions. Florida law requires that we disclose this status. While these procedures are offered in accordance with state and federal guidelines, their safety and efficacy have not been fully established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Results vary, and no guarantee of specific outcome or benefit is implied. All medical procedures involve potential risks, which should be discussed with your treating provider prior to treatment. © STEMS Health Regenerative Medicine, Miami Beach, Florida. All rights reserved.