FAQs About Cord Blood & Stem Cell Research

You might have heard about the advancements surrounding the stem cell research and increasing cord blood pricing issues. You may wonder how stem cell differs from the general human cells and why they are the subject of such vigorous debate. So let us explore more by checking the answers to some frequently asked questions about stem cells.

What are stem cells?

We can say stem cells are the body’s raw materials – the cells from which specialized cells are generated. They have a remarkable potential to renew themselves through cell division which help in internal repairing. In some organs such as gut and bone marrow, the damaged cells are repaired and replaced by the stem cells on a routine basis. Another important characteristic that distinguishes stem cells from other cell types is its capability to become an organ-specific cell under certain physiologic or experimental conditions.

Why Stem cells are important and what are the benefits of stem cell research?

Unique regenerative abilities of the stem cells offer promising medical solutions in treating several debilitating conditions. According to researchers and doctors, the stem cell studies helps in availing a better understanding about how diseases develop in a human body. Regenerative medicine therapy is a remarkable initiative that revolves around the benefits of stem cell research. Since stem cells have the potential to repair and renew, it can be used to treat damaged tissues in people. Drug testing is another notable application of stem cell. Human stem cells are programmed into tissue-specific cells for testing new drugs. Safety and quality of investigational drugs are tested using such programmed stem cells in laboratory.

What are the sources of stem cells? 

Embryonic stem cells, as the name indicates are found in the embryos that are three to five days old. Bone marrow, fat and most of the adult tissues have adult stem cells. Perinatal stem cells are found in the amniotic fluid and baby’s cord blood. And that is why the medical communities are encouraging the banking of baby’s cord blood and tissue these days.

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Future of Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Banking

The field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine has been advancing at a rapid rate over the past decade. For those who are wondering about the hype surrounding stem cell biology – stem cells or master cells have the remarkable property to self-replicate throughout the life of the organism. Moreover, they can give rise to specialized cells which further take the place of damaged or dead cells. Unlike other mature cells that are permanently committed to their function, stem cells have a unique property to renew themselves and develop into specialized cells of the body. Major sources of stem cells include bone marrow, umbilical cord, embryo and adipose tissue.

Scientists around the world have been striving hard to take advantage of stem cell’s unique characteristics in order to apply in clinical applications and therapeutics. Stem cell banking is the practice of harvesting stem cells for long storage for transplants or research purpose. However, embryonic stem cell banking has steeped in ethical controversy centered on embryo destruction. That is where the role of umbilical cord stem cell banking takes the limelight. Umbilical cord blood, once discarded as per medical status, is now treasured by the medical communities. The cord blood that provides nourishment to the growing fetus is a great source of stem cells. Nowadays, the umbilical cord blood and tissue is collected right after the child birth.

Expectant parents have the choice to either store or donate their newborn’s cord blood and umbilical cord tissue. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) present in the cord blood is used as an effective alternative to bone marrow transplantation whereas Mesenchymal StemCells (MSCs) in umbilical cord tissue can potentially be used in a variety of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications. Paying annual private cord blood banking prices may prove worthy for the families with a history of immune deficiency diseases, leukemia, lymphomas and similar conditions.

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Importance of Umbilical Cord Tissue

Why save baby cord blood? What are its benefits? Is it worth the money? Blood present in the baby’s umbilical cord contains stem cells. Multipotent adult stem cells present in the umbilical cord blood make it a precious resource in the medical and research field. And that is why baby’s cord blood, which was once discarded as medical waste, is now collected and saved for long term storage. The first human transplant using cord stem cells was performed in 1988. It was for treating Fanconi anemia – an inherited disease that mainly affects the bone marrow. Cord blood that was used to treat only one disease at that time can now treat nearly 80 diseases.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) present in the baby cord blood can be used to restore the damaged blood cells in our body. Developed from mesodermal hemangioblast cells, HSCs are self-renewing progenitor cells that has the potential to generate multitude of cell types found in the blood stream including red blood cells, white blood cells and megakaryocytes. Hematologic and nonhematologic cancers, autoimmune disorders, various forms of anemia and immunodeficiency disorders can be treated with the cord blood Hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs). Why cord blood stem cell transplants are gaining wide acceptance in the medical community? Cord blood stem cell transplants require a less-stringent HLA match and carry a lower risk of graft-vs-host disease. Moreover, the transplant outcomes are more effective and better with cord blood applications when compared to other transplant methods.

Stem cells are not only present in the cord blood, but also in the surrounding tissue.  Umbilical cord tissue is a rich source of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This type of multipotent connective tissue cells can develop into a variety of cell types such as bone cells, cartilage cells, muscle cells and fat cells. Many scientists are striving harder to discover the cord tissue benefits and applications. Currently research and clinical trials are going on to better understand the potential of cord tissue. According to the scientists, cord tissue MSCs can be used to treat Liver fibrosis, Parkinson’s disease, Rheumatoid arthritis and lung cancer to name a few.

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Banking Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord Blood

Placenta and umbilical cord are the two crucial support systems of a healthy pregnancy. Placenta not only provides nourishment to the growing fetus but also takes away the waste from the fetus to mother’s system for excretion.  The cord structure that connects placenta to the fetus is called umbilical cord. Known as the lifeline between mother and baby, umbilical cord carries oxygenated blood from placenta to baby through its vein and takes away deoxygenated blood from baby to placenta through its arteries.

Blood present in the umbilical cord, which was once considered as a medical waste, is now known to be a valuable resource. Abundant presence of stem cells in the newborn’s umbilical cord blood (CB) makes it a lifesaving resource and that is why the medical community is encouraging the storage of cord blood stem cells. Used to treat more than 70 types of diseases including leukemia, lymphoma, sickle-cell disease, metabolic disorders and some inherited disorders, newborn’s umbilical cord blood holds a promising future in regenerative medicine therapies.

Several clinical trials are still underway, where scientists and researchers are striving harder to unlock and tap into the potential of cord blood and cord tissue stem cells. Unlike the bone marrow stem cell harvesting, cord blood collection and stem cell banking is a painless procedure that doesn’t require any invasive methods. Easy and quick CB collection carried out immediately after the delivery neither hurts the mother nor the baby. Expectant parents may check out informative cord blood banking videos and webinar sessions to explore the benefits and downsides of CB.

The first successful cord blood stem cell transplant took place in 1988 at Hospital Saint-Louis in Paris. Performed for treating Fanconi’s anemia, this transplantation was a new milestone in the history of stem cell research. The patient was a five year old boy named Matthew Farrow and he received the donor stem cells from his newborn baby sister. Since then, cord blood stem cell banking and donations have reported a surging growth and popularity.

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Baby Cord Blood for Stem Cell Transplants

Significant strides and breakthroughs in the medical research and healthcare have helped the physicians to diagnose and treat patients better. Let us consider the field of stem cell research. Scientists have been striving hard to tap into the potential of master cells in curing wide and extensive array of diseases. Several discoveries were made over the past decade and the use of baby cord blood for stem cell transplants was just one of them. Umbilical cord blood that connects an embryo to the placenta serves an integral role of providing nutrients to the growing fetus. Discovery of stem cell presence in the cord blood and cord tissue was a major milestone in the history of stem cell research. Blood forming hematopoietic stem cells present in the cord blood can develop into red cells, white cells or platelets, which makes it capable of curing different types of debilitating conditions including genetic disorders, immune deficiencies and blood disorders. On the other hand, umbilical cord tissue contains Mesenchymal stem cells that can develop into different skeletal tissues such as cartilage, bone and fat.

Cord blood, being a rich source of blood forming stem cells can be used for the transplants among leukemia patients so as to restore the body’s ability to make blood and immune cells. That is the reason why medical community and scientists have been encouraging the banking and donation of baby cord blood. Private and public cord blood stem cell banking services are available to the expectant parents. Blood stored in the private bank will be solely for the family whereas cord blood donated to the public bank will be used for life saving transplants and research purpose. Great shelf life, lower risk of viral contamination, higher flexibility and lower incidence rates of graft versus host disease are some of the major benefits that makes cord blood stem cells a better alternative over bone marrow transplants.

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Cord Blood Banking As an Insurance Plan

Cord blood, once discarded as medical waste has gained life-saving status these days. Blood present in the umbilical cord and placenta is a rich source of stem cells. No need to repeat the spiel about the benefits of stem cells. Also known as master cells, these units are considered as the building blocks of human body.  They are capable of dividing and renewing themselves. Though they are unspecialised, these cells can give rise to specialised tissues and cell types. These are some of the significant properties that make stem cells unique. When scientists discovered the abundant presence of stem cells in the umbilical cord tissue and cord blood, it was a milestone in the field of regenerative medicine research. Currently, cord blood stem cells are used to treat more than 80 life threatening conditions whereas the clinical application of umbilical cord tissue is yet under the experimental stage.

Cord blood or CB contains blood-forming haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells. Blood-forming stem cells of CB are used for transplant procedure of leukaemia patients. Some of the major diseases that can be treated with cord blood include leukaemia, blood and bone marrow disorders, cancer and immune deficiencies. Cord blood stem cell transplants are a great alternative to the bone marrow transplants. Ongoing research and advancements have made the cord blood banking and treatments more popular and affordable.

Number of expectant parents opting for the private cord blood banking is rising. Majority of them bank their newborn’s CB as a type of health insurance for the child and family.  On the other hand, parents who can’t afford to bank their baby’s CB may think about donating it to a public cord bank. Stem cells donated to the public bank are not only used for life-saving transplants, but also for research and clinical trials.

Originally Published:Cord Blood Banking to Insure Your Child’s Health

Why Banking Your Baby’s Cord Blood is a Wise Decision?

The field of stem cell biology has advanced the most over the last decade and the advancing technologies offer unique promise of regenerative medicine applications. Even though the embryonic stem cell harvesting and research has been surrounded by the social controversies, cord blood banking has managed to gain acceptance worldwide. Umbilical cord blood (CB), as the name indicates, is the blood present in the umbilical cord and placenta of the new born. According to the scientific findings, this blood is a rich source of stem cells. If you have been thinking about the significance of stem cell banking, then let us explain. Stem cells, also known as master cells possess self-renewal capability, which means it can act as an internal repair system. Differentiation and unspecialized nature are some of the unique properties that make stem cells highly valuable. Until recently, these master cells were harvested from blood and bone marrow. But with the discovery of stem cell presence in umbilical cord blood tissue, researchers have been encouraging the banking of new-born’s CB.

Newborn baby’s cord blood can be either stored at a private bank or donated through a public bank. If you are an expectant parent, then it is essential to think through decisions. You may spend some time in research in order to check out the benefits of private cord blood banking and public cord blood donation. Once you are clear about the advantages of umbilical cord blood tissue storage and banking, you may have a detailed discussion with your doctor and family members. Have a look at your family health history to check whether there are any inherited diseases or conditions. If you are contemplating with the idea of banking your newborn baby’s cord blood,then make it a point to explore more about the private facilities. Keep in mind that CB cells have a remarkable potential to save lives and it would be a big mistake to discard it.

Originally Published:Why You Should Give a Thought to Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking?

Looking Back to the First Cord Blood Transplantation

Umbilical cord blood banking is a relatively new procedure that has been gaining wide acceptance over the past decade. Blood present in the umbilical cord and placenta is a rich source of adult stem cells. In the past, it was discarded as medical waste. But nowadays, after the child birth, the blood present in the cord is drawn to the sterile collection bank and sent to banks for storage or donation. Baby cord blood can be used to treat more than 80 diseases including cancers, blood disorders and immune deficiencies. Leukemia is one of the most common life-threatening conditions that can be treated with the umbilical cord blood stem cells. Moreover, several clinical trials are underway exploring the umbilical cord tissue benefits and therapeutic applications.  Stem cell research scientists have higher hopes that cord tissue cells can be used to treat the spinal cord injuries and heart damages in near future. So, the expectant families have three options before them – they can throw away the life-saving resource, donate it to a public bank or store it in a private bank.

Baby cord blood banking industry has been evolving rapidly over the last decade. Why not check out the milestones in stem cell research and cord blood history? The world’s first umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) took place in France on October 1988. The patient was a five year old boy named Mattew Farrow suffering with Fanconi Anemia (FA). This incredible medical event was made possible through an international collaboration.  Dr. Arleen Auerbach, Dr. Hal Broxmeyer and Dr. Eliance Gluckman joined their hands to perform the first umbilical cord blood transplantation at Hospital Saint-Louis in Paris. Mattew Farrow received the donor stem cells from his newborn baby sister. Since then, the field of cord blood research and banking have come a long way and has the potential to revolutionise the field of stem cell research.

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Cord Blood Banking – Why Opt for Public Donation?

Stem cell-rich blood present in the umbilical cord of a new born is termed as cord blood (CB). Until recently, this blood was discarded along with the placenta right after the child birth. But with the recent advancements and remarkable benefits of stem cell research, scientists have discovered its life saving potential. Cord blood stem cells can be used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases. It is also considered as a better alternative to bone marrow transplants. Moreover, the future perspectives of CB and umbilical cord tissue look bright and promising. And that is why new-born baby’s cord blood banking has been gaining wide acceptance over the past decade. If you are an expectant parent, then you might be faced with a challenging question – whether or not to bank your baby’s cord blood and tissue? For many, the answer depends on their family medical history, financial structure and personal preference.

Most of the parents-to-be who can’t afford the higher costs of private cord blood banking may decide to discard the CB after the child birth. On the other hand, if you decide to donate the cord blood and umbilical cord tissue, then it can be a life-saving option for someone. Patients with leukemia, lymphoma or other debilitating conditions can be treated with the cord blood stem cell transplant. Donation of cord blood to a public bank is free. When you donate your newborn’s cord blood, it will be listed on the registry and provided to a patient who needs transplant quickly.

If you have decided to donate your baby’s cord blood, then you need to discuss the same with your doctor. Go through the eligibility criteria for public cord blood donation and check whether you meet them. Find more information about the list of hospitals that are tied up with the public cord blood banks so that you can work through the enrolment process.

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Importance of Storing or Donating Umbilical Cord Blood

Over the last decades, stem cell banking has become a significant medical practice for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Bone marrow has been considered as the primary source of stem cells for many years. But with the recent advancements in stem cell research, scientists have found the presence of master cells in the new-born’s umbilical cord blood. In the past, the umbilical cord that act as a lifeline to the baby is cut off and disposed right after the child birth. However, the discovery of perinatal stem cell presence in cord blood and umbilical cord tissue has given it a life-saving status. Since harvesting of umbilical cord tissue and blood is safe, quick and pain-less procedure, cord blood stem cell banking has been gaining immense popularity. Currently, cord blood stem cells are used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases which include leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell disease to name a few.

Families can either bank or donate their baby’s umbilical cord blood (CB) and tissue. Banking CB at a private cord blood bank may cost you a pretty penny, whereas donation to a public bank is absolutely free of cost. If you are an expectant parent, then it is important to educate yourself about the importance and medical benefits of stem cell banking. Do spend enough time in research so that you can get a better understanding about the current therapies and future treatments using CB stem cells. If you have decided to store your baby’s cord blood, then it is important to plan ahead of time. Expectant parents who can’t afford to bank the cord blood at a private facility can think about public donation, as it can save a life. Sick patients who are in need for a stem cell transplant may benefit from your CB donation. So, have a detailed discussion with your doctor and family members in order to take an informed decision.

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