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Regenerative Medicine 101

What the Science Says — and What REVĪV Actually Offers.

This page is for general education. It is not medical advice.
Dr. Greg Carder, ND of REVĪV performing a hands-on knee assessment during an in-home visit
A hands-on assessment — done in your home, not in a waiting room.
The Science

What Regenerative Biologic Therapies Do —
and How They Work at the Cellular Level

What Are Exosomes, and What Do They Do?

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles — tiny particles naturally produced by cells — that act as messengers in the body's internal communication system. They carry growth factors, cytokines, and signaling proteins from one cell to another.

What Are Biologic Allograft Injections?

Biologic allografts are preparations derived from donated human perinatal tissue. They are preparations rich in growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular matrix components that participate in your body's tissue-restoration processes.

What Is Advanced Wound Care, and Who Is It For?

Advanced wound care at REVĪV is physician-supervised biologic management for non-healing and chronic wounds — including diabetic ulcers and post-surgical wounds — using biologic dressings and growth-factor preparations.

What Are Therapeutic Devices, and How Do They Fit?

REVĪV's therapeutic devices — including professional-grade photobiomodulation and neuromuscular support — are used during your in-home visit as part of a physician-supervised care plan. Some devices may be dispensed for home use between visits when clinically appropriate.

Sterile treatment field prepared on a table inside a patient's home for an in-home REVĪV visit
A full sterile field, set up on your table. Clinic standards, delivered to you.
Straight Talk

What We Use — and What Its Regulatory Status Actually Is

“Stem cell therapy” is one of the most searched phrases in medicine and one of the least consistently defined. Rather than argue about the label, here is exactly what we use, where it comes from, and what regulators have and have not said about it.

What we use. Perinatal-derived biologic allografts and exosome preparations, sourced from a U.S. tissue establishment and delivered under ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance by a physician.

Its regulatory status. These preparations are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease or condition. They are generally considered investigational and may be provided on an off-label basis.

What that means for you. No one can promise you a result, and we will not try. What we can promise is a physician who tells you what is in the vial, where it came from, what the evidence does and does not support, and when you are not a good candidate.

You deserve a provider who explains this plainly — and who will not promise outcomes the science does not support.

Reference

Regenerative Medicine Glossary

Plain-language definitions for the research-oriented patient.

Exosome

Extracellular vesicles naturally produced by cells that carry growth factors, cytokines, and signaling proteins. They function as cellular messengers. Exosomes themselves are not cells; the perinatal tissue allografts we also use are a different category and do contain cell populations.

Biologic Allograft

A preparation derived from donated human perinatal tissue, administered by ultrasound-guided physician injection.

Perinatal Tissue

Tissue recovered from the placenta and umbilical cord following a planned, consented birth — the source material for the biologic preparations used at REVĪV.

Tissue-Restoration Process

The body's natural biological response to injury, degeneration, or cellular disruption. Regenerative biologic therapies at REVĪV are designed to support — not replace — these natural processes.

Ultrasound-Guided Injection

A delivery method in which the physician uses real-time ultrasound imaging to place the needle at the precise anatomical target. Standard protocol at REVĪV for injectable biologic therapies.

Not FDA-Approved

No stem cell or exosome therapy is FDA-approved for orthopedic or general use. REVĪV states this plainly rather than implying otherwise.

Growth Factor

A naturally occurring protein that signals cells to perform functions including migration and differentiation. Biologic allografts and exosomes at REVĪV contain growth factors as part of their bioactive profile.

Photobiomodulation

A therapeutic application of specific wavelengths of light to support cellular activity. REVĪV uses photobiomodulation devices as part of physician-supervised care plans.

Non-Healing Wound

A clinical term for a wound that has not progressed through expected closure stages under standard care. REVĪV addresses non-healing wounds with physician-supervised biologic protocols.

Individualized Care Plan

The REVĪV model does not use protocol-by-default. Every patient who proceeds to therapy receives a care plan built around the physician's evaluation of their specific case, goals, and clinical profile.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Regenerative Medicine

How does regenerative medicine work?

Regenerative biologic therapies support the body's natural tissue-restoration processes at the cellular level. Rather than suppressing symptoms with pharmaceuticals, these approaches introduce biologic signals — growth factors, cytokines, extracellular-matrix components — to support how the body responds to injury or degeneration.

What is a biologic allograft?

A biologic allograft is a preparation derived from donated human perinatal tissue. REVĪV's preparations contain growth factors and extracellular-matrix components and are administered by ultrasound-guided physician injection. These therapies have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are considered investigational.

What's the difference between exosomes and stem cells?

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles — cellular messengers carrying growth factors and signaling proteins. They are not cells. Stem cells are living cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation. These are fundamentally different products with different mechanisms and regulatory statuses. REVĪV uses both cell-free exosome preparations and perinatal tissue allografts that contain cell populations. Your physician will tell you which is being proposed for you, and what its regulatory status is.

Is stem cell therapy FDA approved?

The FDA has not approved any stem cell therapy for orthopedic or general use, and the biologic therapies we use are considered investigational and may be provided on an off-label basis. We offer exosome therapy and perinatal-derived biologic allografts, and your physician will explain exactly what is used, and its regulatory status, before anything is administered.

Are exosomes FDA approved?

Exosome therapies are not FDA-approved as drugs. They are investigational. REVĪV is transparent about this and will not represent a therapy as having FDA approval it does not have. The value lies in physician-guided evaluation, product quality, and precision delivery.

What is the realistic timeline, and what is recovery like?

These are the intervals we plan around, not a prediction about you: early change is generally looked for at weeks 3–6, function is formally reassessed at about three months, and a further series is generally not considered before four to six months. Recovery from the procedure itself is usually minimal — most people are back to normal activity the same day or the next, with strenuous activity and heavy lifting restricted for one to two weeks. Your physician gives you a condition-specific schedule in writing.

Individual results vary and no outcome is promised. Physician evaluation required.

How much does it cost?

The 15-minute phone call is free. The in-home physician consultation is $99, credited toward your care plan if you proceed. Single-joint sessions start at $5,000; beyond that, cost depends on the area, what is found on examination and the number of sessions your physician recommends, so your exact price is quoted to you in writing before anything is scheduled. Patient financing is available for those who qualify. These are elective, self-pay services and are not covered by insurance — more in our FAQ.

Have a question that isn’t answered here?

We keep the full list — 41 questions covering candidacy, safety, what these preparations actually are, cost, financing, refunds and where we travel — on our FAQ page. If it is still not there, ask it on the free 15-minute call: book a time or call (407) 349-7155.

Discuss Your Case in a Consultation

If this page has clarified what regenerative biologic care involves — and you’d like to know whether it fits your case — the next step is a free 15-minute phone call. If it sounds like a fit, the in-home physician consultation is $99, credited toward your care plan.

Individual results may vary. Physician evaluation required.