Is it possible to donate fat cells to others?

Question

Blood can be donated. Plasma,RBC,etc. crazy as it sounds,has anyone looked into researching Lipase(fat cell)Donations?Like to burn victims or anorexic/bulimic patients?Or researched ways to utilize fat cells for anything used in everyday life.whale fat is used for many things.Even burned & used for warmth/energy.I know it sounds silly & I'm not sure this is a question for a doctor or engineer but with the majority of Americans overweight it seems to be a plentiful & renewable. Any insight?

Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS · Answer

Donating fat from one person to another would cause rejection, infection and other issues. If the Immune reaction of the host or recipient is reduced to overcome the issue of the rejection, then other problems can surface. For practical proposes it is not possible. However, there are groups looking into growing one's own fat outside in the laboratory and then injecting it back to the patient.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

There is research being done with stem cells and adipose stem cells from one individual might in the future be utilized for the same person. If fat is harvested from a different person and transplanted into a different recipient, the patient receiving the fat would have to take large doses of medications that decrease their immune respone to prevent rejection of the new material from another human being.  This can cause serious side effects and increases the prevalence of new and potentially serious skin cancers that can become innumerable.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Yes, fat is a tissue not unlike skin or cartilage or bone. IF the immunogenicity of the tissue can be reduced it would be possible. Therefore bone grafts are essentially dead when transferred from one individual to another. You can't simply transfer blood cells without matching blood types. In rare cases, in which individuals are severely traumatized or immunocompromised or immunologically suppressed, they may be able to accept grafts for short periods of time but ultimately they will require long term suppression which has it's risks, including development of cancer, and is generally not worth it in the case of fat transfer.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

Dear C-pax

	Dr. Aldea is absolutely correct.  There are a lot of barriers to using tissue from other people.  When the medical necessity warrants immunosuppression to save a life or for very specific other situations (face transplants are a good example) it is done.  Heart, kidney and liver transplant are good examples.  However, fat for filler is not worthwhile especially when other excellent products are available.  Fat from surgery is handles as a hazardous biological waste product and very carefully disposed of.  That doc making biodesiel, he fled the country and I suspect that he is wanted by the authorities.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Sounds liek a great idea to donate fat.  However, everyone has a different immune system and what are called HLA types which make our tissues different.  Therefore, rejection is an issue. The only way to get around this is with immunosuppression.

Is it possible to donate fat cells to others?

Answers (6)

Answer: I did hear of a surgeon who was allegedly making biodesiel from this fat.

Answer: I did hear of a surgeon who was allegedly making biodesiel from this fat.

Answer: Fat donation

Answer: Fat donation

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Is it possible to donate fat cells to others?

Answers (6)

Answer: I did hear of a surgeon who was allegedly making biodesiel from this fat.

Answer: I did hear of a surgeon who was allegedly making biodesiel from this fat.

Answer: Fat donation

Answer: Fat donation

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Everything you need to know about Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.