By Anthony Oliva, PhD
Updated October 08, 2026
Researching stem cell banking means understanding how it works, which companies offer it, and what actually separates them. It is not only about storing cells. It is about how they are processed, by whom, and what you are left holding at the end of it. This page walks through every step American Cell Technology (ACT) takes with your sample, what you receive, and what is different about the way we do it.
Who charges what
There are two separate costs. ACT charges a fee for stem cell processing, and your physician charges for the collection procedure, which happens in their office and is priced by their practice.
The collection is an outpatient procedure, and the entire office visit typically takes less than an hour.
American Cell Technology banks adult cells from adipose (fat) tissue and bone marrow. This page describes the adipose route. From there, the sample goes to ACT’s laboratory, where we isolate the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the tissue, multiply them in culture, count the live cells and confirm their viability, then cryopreserve and bank them for you. Each of those steps is covered below, and if you are new to the subject, start with how stem cell banking works.
What does the processing fee cover?
The processing fee is a single upfront charge. It covers everything ACT does with your sample from the moment it arrives at the lab, plus your first year of banking. Stem cell processing takes about six weeks in total.
Isolating the mesenchymal stem cells from your fat tissue
Adipose tissue, which is fat tissue, contains mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) alongside many other cell types. The first step is separating those cells out from everything else in the sample. MSCs are multipotent stromal cells defined by a specific set of surface markers and differentiation behaviors (Dominici et al., 2006).
Multiplying them in culture
ACT multiplies the isolated cells in culture, so what gets banked is a grown, counted quantity rather than the raw sample, with processing times varying depending on biological and other factors.
Counting the live cells and confirming viability
Before anything is frozen, the cells are counted and their viability is confirmed. Each vial ACT banks holds 10 million live mesenchymal stem cells.
Cryopreservation, and your first year of banking
The cells are then cryopreserved and held at minus 196 degrees Celsius. Your first year of banking is included in the processing fee, so there is nothing further to pay in year one. If you want the detail, here is how cryopreservation works.
Processed by hand, in an FDA-registered lab
The work happens at ACT’s own FDA-registered and inspected laboratory, which operates under current Good Tissue Practice (cGTP), with processing carried out by skilled laboratory technicians.
What the processing fee does not cover
| Included in the ACT processing fee | Billed separately |
|---|---|
| Isolation of MSCs from your fat tissue | Your physician’s charge for the collection procedure |
| Multiplying the cells in culture | Infectious disease screening |
| Live cell count and viability confirmation | Annual banking fee from year two onward |
| Cryopreservation and your first year of banking | Cells released from your bank |
Infectious disease screening is billed separately from the ACT processing fee. We recommend it because, if a treatment for a known infection becomes available in the future, the bank should not return cells carrying that same infection to the person they came from. There is more than one way to complete the screening, and we cover those options separately.
What do you pay each year to keep your cells banked?
$350 a year from year two onward. The first year is already included in the processing fee, so the annual fee begins twelve months after your cells are banked.
That fee covers ongoing storage regardless of how many cells you have banked or how often you use them, and ACT also offers prepaid annual storage plans at a discount.
How quickly can you get your cells?
Initial processing takes about six weeks from the collection, after which the basic plan requires three weeks’ notice to request your cells.
The Bio-Insurance plan is a prepayment for cells rather than an insurance policy. You buy a set quantity of vials up front, and ACT grows, tests and cryopreserves them in advance so they are ready within 48 hours of your request.
The plans come in tiers of 10, 25, 50 or 75 vials, with each vial holding 10 million cells. Bio 100 includes 10 vials, or 100 million cells, while Bio 250 includes 25 vials, or 250 million cells. These are not one-time offers: as long as ACT offers these plans, you can purchase multiple Bio-Insurance plans throughout your membership.
Prepaying does one more thing beyond speed: because the work is funded up front, ACT can generate more cells over the long term.
What happens if the cells do not grow, or a sample fails quality control testing?
ACT processes a new sample at no additional cost if the cells do not grow out, the sample is contaminated, or it fails quality control testing. This is a practical difference between adult and newborn banking: if a fat sample cannot be processed successfully, another one can be collected, while a newborn sample cannot be recollected, which is why the two models handle this differently.
What to expect from your physician
Your physician will have clear procedure and cost expectations before anything is scheduled. Many clients are surprised by how affordable personal stem cell banking is once they understand what the process involves and how the costs are divided.
Two things are worth asking directly: what their charge covers beyond ACT’s processing fee, and their recommendation for infectious disease screening.
We can walk you through what the processing fee covers, what the annual fee is, and how access works. You can also read the questions clients ask most often.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to bank your own stem cells?
There is no single figure, because two parties are involved: American Cell Technology charges a fee for stem cell processing, and your physician charges for the collection procedure. What is fixed is the annual banking fee of $350 a year from year two onward.
Is the first year of banking included?
Yes. The initial processing fee includes your first year, and the $350 a year begins from year two onward.
How long does the process take?
The collection is an outpatient procedure, and the entire office visit typically takes less than an hour. Stem cell processing takes about six weeks after that.
Is this the same as newborn stem cell banking?
No. ACT banks adult cells. Newborn banking is a different process with a different collection window, and you can learn more about VitalCells, our newborn banking brand.
References
Dominici M, Le Blanc K, Mueller I, et al. Minimal criteria for defining multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells. Cytotherapy. 2006;8(4):315 to 317. doi:10.1080/14653240600855905
This blog is for educational purposes only. American Cell Technology does not provide medical advice or make claims. Please consult your physician with any medical questions.
