How Can You Tell If Your Stored Stem Cells Are High Quality?
How Can You Tell If Your Stored Stem Cells Are High Quality?
Stem cell banking is a decision made with the future in mind. From the day your cells are collected to the day they may potentially be used, many years—or even decades—may have passed.
And when that day comes, one important question naturally arises:
“Are the stem cells I stored still high quality?”
Unlike everyday products, stem cells cannot simply be looked at, touched, or tested by the owner before use. Their quality cannot be determined with the naked eye.
Instead, quality must be assessed through laboratory data, such as Cell Identity, Cell Viability, Cell Count, contamination testing, and information documented in a COA (Certificate of Analysis) or other cell quality reports.
Why Can’t We Determine Stem Cell Quality Just by Looking at the Cells?
Many important characteristics of stem cells cannot be evaluated from their appearance alone.
For example, we cannot visually determine how many cells are still alive, whether they are the intended cell type, how many cells are present, whether contamination has occurred, or whether the cells retain certain biological properties relevant to their potential use.
When cells are stored for the long term, owners therefore need verifiable laboratory information to better understand the Biological Asset they have chosen to preserve, rather than simply assuming that having cells in storage means they are automatically ready for future use.
If the Cells Are High Quality, Does That Mean Everyone Will Get the Same Results?
No. Outcomes may vary from person to person.
Cell quality is one important factor when cells are considered for use. It can be assessed through several laboratory parameters, including cell type, viability, cell quantity, sample cleanliness, and other properties relevant to the particular cell type.
However, when it comes to the outcomes of Cell Therapy, cell quality is not the only factor involved.
The body’s response may also be influenced by factors such as:
- Age and overall health
- Disease stage or degree of tissue degeneration
- Cell quality and cell dose
- How the cells are administered
- Individual genetics
- Lifestyle and everyday health behaviors
What Determines Stem Cell Quality?
The answer is that several factors need to be considered together.
Basic questions include whether the stored cells are actually the intended cell type, how many cells remain viable, whether the quantity is sufficient, and whether the sample has been handled under appropriate laboratory conditions.
Even when cells are broadly described as “stem cells,” their cell type, source, isolation method, culture process, quality testing, and long-term storage conditions can all influence the quality of the cells being preserved.
For this reason, stem cell quality should not be judged by a single number. It should be evaluated through both laboratory data and the overall cell-handling process.
AVIOLA Places Importance on Verifiable Cell Quality Data
Stem cell banking is a long-term form of health planning. At AVIOLA, we believe cell owners should receive more than confirmation that their cells have simply been “successfully stored.”
They should also have access to information that helps them understand the quality of the cells they have chosen to preserve.
After the relevant quality assessment processes are completed, AVIOLA provides a Certificate of Analysis (COA) so that cell owners have documented information related to the condition and quality of their cells at the time of testing.
For AVIOLA, a COA is therefore not simply another document. It is part of caring for a person’s Biological Asset by helping the owner understand and review information related to what has been stored for the future.
Examples of Cell Quality Assessments
1. Cell Identity — Are the stored cells actually the intended cell type?
Cell Identity assessment helps confirm that cells isolated or cultured in the laboratory exhibit characteristics consistent with the intended cell type.
This is important because the term “stem cell” does not refer to only one type of cell.
2. Cell Viability — How many of the cells are still alive?
Cell Viability refers to the proportion of cells that are alive at the time of testing.
It is an important part of cell quality assessment both before storage and during processes related to preparing cells for potential future use.
When cells are eventually considered for medical use, the required cell quantity may vary depending on factors such as body weight, medical indication, cell type, and the physician’s treatment approach.
Important note: A high Cell Viability value does not automatically mean that the cells will produce a better therapeutic outcome. Viability is only one component of overall cell quality.
3. Cell Count — How many cells have been stored?
Cell Count provides information about the number of cells available after the relevant laboratory processes.
However, having a higher number of cells does not automatically mean that the cells are of better quality.
Cell quantity must be considered together with the type of cell, cell viability, biological characteristics, and the intended purpose of future use. The most relevant cell-count parameters may therefore differ between different cell types.
4. Sterility — Has contamination been appropriately controlled?
Cells are biological materials, so contamination control is important throughout the entire process—from sample collection and laboratory intake to cell isolation or culture, quality testing, cryopreservation, and long-term storage.
For this reason, quality systems in Cellular Therapy focus on the entire process rather than looking only at cell quantity or viability.
5. Functional Quality or Potency — Can the cells still perform the functions expected of them?
A cell being alive does not necessarily mean that it retains the same level of biological function.
In some contexts, Potency may therefore be evaluated to determine whether cells retain properties or functions relevant to their intended use.
Put simply:
Cell Viability asks: “Are the cells still alive?”
Potency asks: “Can the cells still perform the function they are expected to perform?”
6. Tumorigenicity / Abnormal Cell Growth — Do the cells show abnormal growth characteristics?
Another important area of cell quality assessment involves looking for abnormalities related to cell growth.
The purpose is to evaluate whether the cells continue to exhibit appropriate characteristics and whether there are signs of abnormal behavior that could raise concerns related to tumorigenicity or abnormal cell growth.
This consideration can be particularly important for cells that have undergone laboratory expansion. In addition to confirming that the cells remain viable and are available in sufficient numbers, attention should also be given to cellular stability and safety before long-term storage or potential use.
AVIOLA is among the providers in Thailand that places additional emphasis on evaluating tumorigenicity-related concerns alongside fundamental cell quality assessments.
Summary
We cannot simply look at stem cells with the naked eye and immediately know how good their quality is or how suitable they may be for future use.
Assessing stem cell quality therefore requires multiple types of laboratory information, including cell identity, viability, cell quantity, contamination-related testing, and other characteristics relevant to each cell type.
One way for cell owners to access this information is through a COA, or Certificate of Analysis, which documents the results of specified quality assessments at the time the cells are tested.
However, it is important to understand that cell quality is not the same as the outcome of Cell Therapy. A COA is also not a guarantee of future treatment results, because clinical outcomes can be influenced by many individual and medical factors.
When storing stem cells for the long term, what matters is therefore not simply knowing that
“my cells are being stored.”
It is also knowing
“what cells have been stored, and what information is available to support their quality.”
Because caring for a Biological Asset with verifiable information is one of the foundations of thoughtful, long-term Future Health Planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell whether my stored stem cells are still high quality?
Stem cell quality cannot be determined with the naked eye. Laboratory testing is required. Relevant information may include Cell Identity, Cell Viability, Cell Count, contamination-related testing, and results documented in a COA or other quality report.
What is Cell Viability?
Cell Viability is the proportion of cells that are alive at the time of testing. It is an important quality indicator, but viability alone cannot determine how effective the cells may be therapeutically or predict future treatment outcomes.
What is a COA for stem cells?
A COA, or Certificate of Analysis, is a document reporting specified laboratory test results for a cell sample or cell preparation. It provides cell owners with reference information about the quality of their cells at the time of testing.
Does having a COA mean the stem cells are guaranteed to be suitable for treatment?
No. A COA documents specified test results at a particular point in time. It does not guarantee treatment outcomes. If the cells are considered for future medical use, their condition at that time, the medical indication, applicable regulations, and clinical evaluation will still need to be considered.
Do stem cells remain high quality after being frozen for a long time?
Cryopreservation is designed to help preserve cells during long-term storage. However, cell quality also depends on multiple factors, including the quality of the cells before freezing, the cryopreservation method, temperature control, storage systems, and the thawing process.
