Chapter Three Results of Basic Research

In 1984, in the study of burn, we found the complete difference of wound tissue cells between MEBO treatment group and control group, and since then we determined to further explore the mechanisms of complete regeneration of the wound skin in MEBO treatment group.  At that time, limited by the international cell research, related stem cell markers had not been confirmed.  Therefore, we temporarily named the cells that regenerated new skin as “regenerative cells” which were used as the markers to accomplish the study on the histological change of the burn skin regeneration.  On May 5, 1990, American journal ‘Newsweek’ published an article titled: ‘A simpler way to save lives’, with a subtitle, ‘Could a new medication from China change the world’s approach to treating burn injuries?’  It wrote: ‘But if a new Chinese treatment fulfills its initial promise, much of modern burn therapy could be rendered instantly obsolete’.

‘Newsweek’ is right and just hit the mark!

After 1992, by the encouragement of the State Council of China and under the safeguard of the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China, with our own resources, we independently carried out the research on the mechanisms of skin regeneration.  During that period, we also set up two clinical research centers in Nanyang City and Xiangfan City of China.  In 1996, we completed research on the mechanisms of skin regeneration. In 1997, through Chinese Association of Medicine, we trained many clinical doctors of high academic status from all over China and popularized skin regeneration treatment of deep burn.  At the same time, using skin regeneration and cloning as a model, we conducted a large scale of experimental researches in which animal tissues and organs were cloned in vitro.

In June, 2000, ‘The Blue Book of Burn Therapy techniques’ was published. It announced solemnly the discovery of the mechanisms of skin regeneration of deep burns, the standardized clinical treatment protocol, and disclosed the core techniques and mechanisms by which skin cells were transformed into stem cells and consequently skin was regenerated in situ.  In November, 2001, we announced the successful cloning of gastrointestinal mucosa.  On August 16, 2002, we announced tens of achievements on animal somatic cells being transformed into stem cells and the subsequent tissue and organ cloning.  For this announcement, a public hearing was held by Ministry of Science and Technology of China.  On August 16, 2007, a press conference was held, in which we proclaimed that we had accomplished the in situ regenerative restoration of all the tissues and organs in animals.

The following is a selection of research result pictures and key contents of different periods, which display the historical achievements of the research on human somatic cells being transformed into stem cells and the subsequent regenerative restoration of tissues and organs in situ.