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Stem cell therapy in Istanbul, planned around your diagnosis

What mesenchymal stromal cells are, what researchers are investigating, and how our medical team turns that into a written plan for international patients.

Near-still macro film of a frosted cryovial being lifted from its rack, cold vapour curling away from it. Treatment in Istanbul

Stem Cell Therapy at Our Istanbul Clinic

This page explains what stem cell therapy is, how our medical team plans it, and what treatment in Istanbul involves. It is general information rather than a treatment plan: suitability is confirmed only after our team has reviewed your diagnosis, your records, the alternatives open to you, and the goals you want treatment to support.

At a glance

Stem Cell Therapy at a glance

Biological material
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Your plan names the tissue source, the preparation and the dose chosen for your case.
How it is given
Routes can include intravenous infusion, intrathecal administration, intranasal delivery or image-guided local injection.
Where it sits today
A biological mechanism is a reason to study a treatment rather than proof that it improves a particular condition, and many uses remain investigational.
Who it may suit
That is decided case by case. This page explains the treatment; suitability is confirmed only after our medical team has reviewed your records.

What a stem cell treatment plan is made of

Stem cell therapy is a broad phrase, so we work in specifics. This visual sets out the parts our medical team defines for you: the cellular material, how it is prepared and checked, the route it is given by, the clinical setting, and the follow-up.

Layered stem cell therapy illustration showing cellular material, laboratory characterization, clinical documentation, and treatment decisions

Clinical context

Microscopic editorial illustration of a characterized cell population, culture context, and signaling molecules

Microscopic research viewIllustrative detail

An illustration of the pathway we follow, from biological source and laboratory characterization through to the written plan and documented follow-up. The view then moves in to the cells themselves, how they are characterized, and what they signal. Both frames are illustrations of the biology, not footage of a patient or a laboratory result, and this visual does not depict a treatment outcome.
The material
Cell type, tissue source, donor screening, processing, viability, and dose are defined for your plan, and our team explains each of them.
The route
Intravenous, intrathecal, intranasal, and local delivery differ in distribution, procedure, and monitoring, and the route is chosen case by case.
The clinical plan
Your diagnosis, the alternatives, contraindications, monitoring, and the goals being worked toward belong in the written plan you receive.

What Is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cell therapy is the clinical use of living cells as a treatment. The cells used in our program are mesenchymal stromal cells, usually shortened to MSCs and still widely known as mesenchymal stem cells. They are isolated from donated tissue, grown in a laboratory, tested before release, and given to the patient by a doctor. The phrases stem cell treatment, MSC therapy and regenerative medicine all point at this same field, and none of them tells you which cells, which preparation or which route is planned for you. That is what your treatment plan is for.

Our clinic works with cells from Wharton's jelly, the gelatinous tissue inside the umbilical cord. The cord is donated after a healthy birth, the mother consents in writing, and she is screened for infectious disease before anything is used. It is a young perinatal source and an unusually rich one, and the cells expand readily in culture, so a whole batch can be grown, characterised and released only after identity, sterility, endotoxin and viability testing. A certificate of analysis, the storage conditions and the transport record follow that batch to the clinic, and our team can take you through each document for the batch prepared for you.

Which route we propose follows the goal of treatment. An intravenous infusion is used where the aim is systemic; intrathecal administration is considered in selected neurological cases; intranasal delivery is a gentler, needle-free option; an image-guided injection places the preparation at one joint or tendon. Our medical team sets the route, the number of sessions and the monitoring in your written plan, and explains how the treatment sits beside the care you already receive. To find out whether any of this applies to your diagnosis, send your records for a medical case review and we will answer in writing.

How Stem Cell Therapy Works

These are the biological ideas stem cell therapy is built on. How much of it applies to you depends on your diagnosis, the goals set during your case review, the route of administration and the rest of your clinical picture, which is what our medical team works through with you.

  • Cells influence the cells around them by releasing biological signals rather than by replacing damaged tissue - a process called paracrine signalling, and the main reason MSCs are studied at all
  • Among those signals are cytokines, the proteins cells use to speak to the immune system, which researchers study for their effect on an overactive inflammatory response
  • Shifting how the immune system behaves rather than switching it off is known as immunomodulation, and it is the focus of much current research
  • Cells also release growth factors, the messages that prompt tissue to run its own repair processes, and these are studied for the support they may give to local repair
  • Some signals encourage small blood vessels to form, called angiogenic signalling, which matters because blood supply shapes how tissue recovers
  • How much of this happens in any one patient depends on the product, the dose, the route and the condition, which is why our team writes a plan case by case

Stem cells and exosomes are different.

One is a living cell. The other is a cell-derived messenger. The difference shapes how each is sourced, how it is given, and which one our medical team may propose for your case.

Illustration of a mesenchymal stromal cell releasing extracellular vesicles toward neighboring tissue cells
  1. 01 / SOURCE

    Living source cells

    Mesenchymal stromal cells are living cells. Their behavior depends on source, handling, dose, and biological context.

  2. 02 / SIGNAL

    Released signals

    Cells release soluble factors and extracellular vesicles. Exosomes are one subset of these small vesicles.

  3. 03 / RESPONSE

    Local cell response

    Nearby cells may respond to those signals. That biological rationale is where treatment planning starts, not a promise of a result.

Illustrative visualization, not to scale. It does not predict a treatment response.Stem cells and exosomes explained

Sourcing and handling

Wharton’s jelly: where our cells come from, and why.

We work with mesenchymal stromal cells from Wharton’s jelly, the gelatinous tissue inside the umbilical cord. It is collected after a healthy birth, with written maternal consent, from tissue that would otherwise be discarded. No harm comes to mother or baby, and none of the ethical questions attached to embryonic sources apply here.

It is also a young, perinatal source rather than adult bone marrow or fat, and it has a low-immunogenicity profile — which is why these cells are studied for use between unrelated people rather than requiring a patient’s own. They expand readily in culture, so a batch can be fully characterised and release-tested before any of it reaches a patient, and they are studied above all for what they secrete: the signalling molecules at the centre of most current MSC research. Before treatment begins, our team takes you through the origin of the material in your plan, how it was handled and what was checked.

Illustrated pathway from donated Wharton's jelly umbilical cord tissue through laboratory review to clinical handling
  1. 01 / ORIGIN

    Donation and consent

    The cord is donated after a healthy birth, with written maternal consent and documented donor screening.

  2. 02 / ISOLATION

    Controlled processing

    The cells are isolated from the tissue and expanded in culture, and our team explains where that work is done.

  3. 03 / VERIFICATION

    Release testing

    Identity, sterility, viability and contamination checks are recorded, and the results follow the batch.

  4. 04 / CUSTODY

    Clinical handling

    Storage, transport, preparation and traceability are documented for the material used in your plan.

Illustrative sequence. Materials, tests, and workflows vary by laboratory and protocol.Read the safety guide

Your case review

How Our Medical Team Assesses Suitability

The purpose of the review is clarity. Your diagnosis, medical history, reports, imaging, current medication and the goals that matter to you give our team the context to plan treatment, or to tell you that this route is not right for your case.

  • Adults with a confirmed diagnosis and recent reports, imaging and laboratory results our medical team can review
  • People whose standard treatment is already in place and who want to know whether a regenerative option can sit alongside it
  • Patients who can travel to Istanbul and attend the appointments and monitoring their plan sets out
  • Cases where a therapeutic goal can be defined clearly enough to be measured at follow-up
  • Suitability is confirmed after our team has assessed active infection, cancer history, pregnancy, immune status, current medication and other exclusions

Setting Realistic Goals for Your Treatment

Before treatment we agree on what we are aiming for: measures that fit your condition, a realistic period over which to review them, and what would count as no meaningful change. Goals are not predictions. Responses vary between patients and no clinical outcome can be guaranteed.

  • Goals are set case by case and may include supporting comfort, function or day-to-day capacity, agreed with you before treatment rather than claimed afterwards
  • Laboratory signalling research explains why a treatment is being investigated; it does not predict how one patient will respond
  • Measures and review dates are agreed in advance, so any change is judged against a recorded baseline instead of an impression
  • Follow-up continues with your own treating team, and we send what was given, when, at what dose and with what monitoring
  • Regenerative medicine is planned individually: responses vary between patients, no clinical outcome can be guaranteed, suitability is confirmed only after medical review, and treatment is planned alongside your existing care

Your next step

Find out whether stem cell therapy may suit your case

If stem cell therapy looks relevant to your diagnosis, the next step is a review of your own records by our medical team. If it does not, we can explain which of the other routes we plan may fit better.

Suitability is confirmed only after our medical team has reviewed your records, and treatment is planned alongside the care you already receive.

From Your Records to an Agreed Treatment Plan

How our team moves from your first records review to a plan you can act on: evidence, risk, practical detail and follow-up, settled before you travel.

Send your medical records

Recent reports, imaging, your current medication, and what you hope treatment will help with. It lets our medical team make the review specific to you.

Start your case review
  1. Send your medical records

    Our patient coordination team starts with your confirmed diagnosis, recent reports and imaging, current medications, previous procedures, and the outcomes that matter most to you.

  2. Medical case review

    Our medical team reads the file and decides whether this pathway is relevant to your case, which route would suit it, and where your existing care should stay in the lead.

  3. Read your written treatment plan

    You receive the biological material proposed and its documentation, the preparation and dose, the route, the schedule, the monitoring, the risks, the alternatives, and an itemized cost, in writing.

  4. Plan your treatment in Istanbul

    We confirm appointment timing, how long to stay, airport transfers, accommodation, mobility needs, medication instructions and your local contact before you book travel.

  5. Stay in contact after you go home

    Before treatment we agree what will be measured, when it will be reviewed, who answers your questions once you are home, and how your own clinician is kept informed.

Stem Cell Therapy - Frequently Asked Questions

Which cells do you use at your Istanbul clinic?

Mesenchymal stromal cells from Wharton's jelly, the gelatinous tissue inside a donated umbilical cord. It is a young perinatal source, the cells expand readily in culture, and our team can show you the documentation behind the batch prepared for you: donor consent and infectious-disease screening, identity testing, sterility and endotoxin results, viable cell count, the certificate of analysis, and the storage and transport record.

Which conditions do patients ask us about most often?

Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, joint and soft-tissue problems, neurological diagnoses and metabolic disease. The research behind each one differs, so our medical team reviews your records and tells you plainly whether we think your case is a fit for treatment.

How is the treatment actually given?

By intravenous infusion, by intrathecal administration, by intranasal delivery, or by an injection guided to a specific joint or tendon. The route follows the treatment goal, and it is named in your plan together with the number of sessions and the monitoring involved.

How does the case review work for international patients?

You send your confirmed diagnosis, recent reports and imaging, current medications, prior treatment and allergies. Our medical team reviews them and replies in writing with an assessment of suitability, the pathway we would propose, and the questions we still need answered.

When would we know whether anything has changed?

There is no single timeline that fits every condition, so we set review points instead of promising one. Before treatment our team records your baseline and agrees which measures will be repeated, and at each review we compare the two and discuss what to do next.

How do I find out whether I may be suitable for treatment in Istanbul?

Send your confirmed diagnosis, recent reports and imaging, current medications and medical history to our patient coordination team. Our medical team reviews suitability case by case and tells you in writing whether this pathway fits your situation, and what it would involve.

How long do international patients stay in Istanbul?

It depends on the plan our medical team proposes: the procedure, the route, the monitoring, your mobility and the follow-up all affect it. Your written schedule states the number of days before you book flights or accommodation.

Is this treatment safe?

No medical treatment is free of risk, and we are direct about that. Our team reduces the risks that can be reduced: screened donor material, batch testing before release, administration by a physician in a clinical setting, monitoring during and after the procedure, and a written account of the side effects and contraindications that apply to your plan.

What results can I expect?

Your plan states a therapeutic goal and how it will be measured, not a promised outcome. Our medical team explains what change would be meaningful in your case, when it will be reviewed, and what we would do next if that review shows no benefit.

How much does treatment cost in Istanbul?

Pricing is case-specific: the material, the preparation and dose, the route, the number of sessions, the monitoring and any travel services all affect it. Our patient coordination team sends an itemized written estimate so you can see what each part of the plan costs before you commit.

What does the international patient program include?

Your estimate lists the medical review, tests, the procedure itself, monitoring, medications, airport transfers, accommodation arrangements, written discharge information and follow-up as separate lines, so you can see what is included and what is not.

How this guide is maintained

How This Guide Is Written and Reviewed

Editorial reviewHow this guide is reviewed

This guide carries a last-reviewed date. Review asks whether the way we describe stem cell therapy and the research behind it still matches the published literature.

Where the evidence is limited, mixed or still emerging, the page says so rather than settling the question in the treatment's favour.

SourcingWhat we count as a source

Peer-reviewed human studies, trial registry entries and regulatory guidance. Laboratory and animal work is labelled as preclinical, and individual case reports are described as case reports.

Marketing material, including our own, is not treated as evidence.

Your treatment planWhat our medical team sets out

Before you agree to anything, our team can set out in writing the material proposed for your plan, how it is sourced, processed and release-tested, the route of administration, the monitoring plan, the full cost with exclusions, and who is clinically responsible for your care.

If any part of that is unclear, ask us. Your plan should make sense to you before you travel.

Wide dawn view across the Bosphorus with an Istanbul mosque, ferry, hills, and suspension bridge

Dawn across the Bosphorus, with the city and its ferry routes. It shows the city you would travel to, not our clinic, your accommodation, or a service included in a plan.

Let the product details lead your Istanbul plan

Our team sets out the cell source, characterization, dose or preparation, administration route, monitoring, costs, and follow-up in writing before you travel.

More from our clinic

Planning your stem cell therapy in Istanbul

The practical side of treatment at our clinic: what the research shows, who may be suitable, what a plan costs, and how your stay in Istanbul and your follow-up are arranged.

Cost, Outcomes & Istanbul

Medical Disclaimer: This content is educational and is not personal medical advice. Regenerative medicine treatments are planned individually, responses vary and no clinical outcome can be guaranteed. Suitability is confirmed only after medical review, and treatment is planned alongside your existing care.

International patient support

Talk to our medical team about Stem Cell Therapy.

Send your diagnosis, reports, imaging and current medication. Our medical team explains which options may fit your case, what the treatment involves, and what your stay in Istanbul would look like.

Your review starts from home

Nothing needs to be booked to begin. Our patient coordination team plans your visit to Istanbul once your treatment plan is agreed.