You would practically have to live under a rock not to have heard about the potential that stem cells MAY offer (and MAY is the optimum word) for the treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions such as Leukemia, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's and perhaps most tantalizing, spinal cord injuries. But stem cells harvested from umbilical cord blood may also become the most powerful weapon yet against aging.

A Quick Primer on Stem Cells

Your body is made up of gazillions of cells, which are currently differentiated into various tissues, organs and systems. Stem cells are the body's "master" cells because they retain the ability forever to renew themselves or differentiate into other specialized cell types. You have some stem cells in your body (bone marrow in particular) but the most flexible cells (in terms of transformation) are found in embryos.

While embryonic stem cell potential is for the most part untested, adult stem cell treatments have been used for many years to successfully treat leukemia and related bone or blood cancers through bone marrow transplants.

But the greatest potential may come from umbilical cord blood stem cells - more "plastic" than adult stem cells, and not the product of dead embryos. Cord blood is easily collected after delivery without pain or risk to either the mother or the newborn, and private cord blood banks have sprung up around the world to allow mothers to have their baby's cord blood collected, shipped to the bank, and then cryogenically frozen.

Not all hospitals will accept donations for public banks, and those that do will only accept them on a limited basis because it costs about $1000 to process cord blood for storage. If you're expecting and wish to donate, you'll need to see if your hospital can accept donations. Also, bear in mind, your ob/gyn may charge you $100 or more to perform the collection after delivery.

Private banks charge various fees ranging from $1000 to $2000 for the initial processing, plus a courier fee to pick up and deliver the cord blood, plus a storage fee per year. For example, CordBlood Registry charges $1875 for the collection kit and initial processing, $150 for the courier fee, and $125 per year for storage. And you'll have to add your doctor's fee on top of that as well.

Before Tax Profit on Afterbirth

Not surprisingly, given the tantalizing commercial potential of cord blood stem cell therapies, new biotech companies are springing up with the mission of providing a ready supply of cells for research, treatment...and private use.

One such company, Regenerco, says on its website that it has developed advanced methods for the storage and transport of non-embryonic stem cells for the "ultimate potential patient pool of millions of affluent, health conscious households who are keenly interested in maintaining and prolonging their healthy, active, robust lives."

In fact, Regenerco recently announced it has begun negotiations with Indonesian luxury developer PT Hanno to co-develop therapeutic treatments for ultra-high end premier properties including exclusive medical spas, "members only" club facilities and private island resorts. Under the terms of the proposed deal, Regenerco would be the exclusive stem cell distributor to the resorts and PT Hanno's One Life Plus Anti-Aging and Longevity Centers. PT Hanno's existing islands are located off the coast of Singapore in Indonesian waters. The islands are accessible by helicopter or private yacht, and are surrounded by a 2-mile protective radius, making it illegal for any outsiders to approach without express permission. On their own website, the company says the islands are designed for the "rich and famous" and intends to develop more properties in a high tech "James Bond" style, incorporating contemporary design with gadgetry. Guests will have access to high tech toys like a single-seater helicopter and two man submarines.

The rich get richer...and now they get younger too. Is it fair?

According to Dr. Robert Goldman, co-founder of Regenerco, there are some very expensive break-through technologies that are having a profound effect on the way we look, feel and age. The reality is that those people who can afford it will be the ones who will benefit first from the technologies.

But don't YOU worry. As unfair as this sounds, everyone will benefit eventually (even us peasants) because as the anti-aging industry grows, funding for research will also grow, and demand will drive prices down. So yes filthy rich people will look and feel better then you do initially, but it is their consumption that will pay for the research that benefits all of us down the road. (Yeah, right).

But does it work?

There are many different theories as to why humans age, but the "Telomerase Theory of Aging" is most relevant to stem cell therapies. Telomeres are sequences of nucleic acids extending from the ends of chromosomes, and they act to maintain the integrity of chromosomes. Every time your cells divide, telomeres are shortened, leading to cellular damage and cellular death associated with aging. Scientists discovered that the key element in rebuilding your disappearing telomeres is the "immortalizing" enzyme telomerase. Telomerase appears to repair and replace telomeres, in effect turning back the clock that controls the life span of dividing cells. This enzyme is found in germ and cancer cells...but also in stem cells.

As you age, your stem cell reserves decline. Your cells lose their ability to regenerate and repair tissue. As a result, you see age-related changes in your skin, organs, sex glands, immune system, blood-forming system, muscles and other systems. Because cells become progressively weaker over time and die, replacing them with new ones can slow or even reverse aging.

Patients undergoing stem cell therapy for other medical conditions began to notice anti-aging "side effects" such as improved fitness and mental capacity, decreased irritability and sleeplessness, and enhanced sexual function. Of course, none of these include improved skin tone, perkier bottoms or reduced wrinkles, and there have been no clinical studies that indicate any such results.

Florida physician Dr. Laurey Hallson says, "Theoretically, stem cells can be injected into adults and produce new cells to whichever area they end up in...do they? No one truly knows the answer."

I guess I'm willing to let the rich and famous pay to be the guinea pigs for me.