Cord Blood Stem Cells: The Beginning Of All Blood Cells

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth. It contains stem cells that can differentiate into many types of cells in the body. Umbilical cord blood stem cells hold significant potential in treating life threatening diseases and conditions, including cancer. They are able to regenerate immune system and replace damaged or diseased cells.

In early 2006, Dr. Felipe-Andres Ramirez-Weber was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of blood and bone marrow cancer, acute myelogenous leukemia. A bone marrow transplant was his only cure for this disease. But there were no matches from his family members or other donors (given his Latino ethnicity) and his fate was looking grim. He decided to take part in a clinical trial with Delta-expanded stem cells at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and became the first patient to undergo expanded cord blood stem cell transplant in the world. He was given two units of cord blood but the stem cells in one of the units were dramatically increased from 200,000 to 13 million per kilogram of body weight. Ramirez-Weber was engrafted in half the time of a bone marrow transplant. He is recovering well and has been healthy since the transplant. He would not have been cured at a sooner time if not for the cord blood donated by someone else.

In another case, a twin boy was born with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), a rare and fatal disorder. Mason Williams' own body did not produce enough white blood cells to fight off even the smallest infection. Exposure to any germs could literally kill him. Both he and his twin brother, Peyton Williams were confined to their home which had to be completely sanitized at all times. Children with this particular disease rarely live to get to kindergarten. Although Peyton was healthy, he also had to be confined as he could not risk bringing home the germs from playing with other kids.

Mason was fortunate when a national search at Duke University hospital found a match for his stem cell transplant. A mother had donated her baby's umbilical cord blood at birth. In the beginning of 2002, stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord blood were transplanted into Mason. After much trepidation and a one year waiting period, the cord blood stem cell transplant was confirmed a success and Mason recovered fully from SCID. The stem cells created an entirely new immune system, thus enabling the boy to live normally.

These two cases are some examples of the life-saving potentials of umbilical cord blood stem cells. If you choose to donate your baby's cord blood, it can give someone else a chance at life that they may not have had otherwise. The decision is yours, and an important one. Be sure to think about the potential good this act can do for others.

Cord blood, also known as placental blood, is the blood that remains in umbilical cord and placenta following a live birth. There are 3 sources of stem cells: umbilical cord blood, embryonic cells and bone marrow. Adult stem cells from bone marrow have limited uses while embryonic stem cell research is a major area of controversy. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are more proliferate and can be successfully substituted for embryonic stem cells in research and treatment.

There are advantages to using cord blood stem cells:

- It is easy to collect cord blood without posing any risk to the newborn or mother. Cord blood banking allows stem cells to be frozen and stored for immediate use in the future. This is not possible with bone marrow donation since it takes time to find a matching and willing donor.

- As cord blood stem cells are young and less mature, they can be transplanted even when there is a half match. Bone marrow transplant requires perfect match between donor and recipient.

- Cord blood stem cells are less likely to attack the patient's own tissues than bone marrow stem cells. There is also a reduced likelihood of transmitting certain viruses when cord blood is used.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells have the potential to develop into many types of cells such as muscle, nerve or blood cells. Cord blood stem cells are able to regenerate immune system and replace damaged or diseased cells. Currently, cord blood is being used to treat blood disorders, certain cancer and auto-immune diseases.

While much research still needs to be done, there have already been some significant advances in stem cell therapies. Researchers are looking into the ability of cord blood stem cells to replace or repair damaged tissues and organs. Since these cells can repair damaged tissues, they could be used to treat Parkinson, heart disease, stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and diabetes.

In recent breakthroughs of stem cell research, scientists have been able to differentiate cord blood stem cells into a type of lung cell, grow mini liver and develop bone and cartilage. These preliminary findings show that cord blood stem cells offer great potential in the treatment of lung and liver diseases, and acute kidney failure. Cord blood cells can potentially repair organs damaged by illness or disease. Due to the severe shortage of organ donors, these cells could be transplanted into the body in much the same way organ transplants are done today. Scientists are hopeful that these cells will regenerate into organs in the human body.

Umbilical cord blood is still in the early stages of use in scientific and medical research. Studying these cells will help researchers understand how they are able to transform into a wide array of more specialized cells that make up the human body. Some of the most serious medical conditions such as cancer and birth defects are caused by problems that occur somewhere in the cell process. A better understanding of how normal development occurs and disease processes can enable researchers to develop new and improved approaches to treating diseases and injuries.

Cord blood, also called placental blood, is the blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord following birth, after the umbilical cord is cut. Generally, this blood is disposed of with the placenta and umbilical cord. There is much controversy regarding the use of stem cell research as it pertains to the use of embryos. However, there have been new scientific breakthroughs in the field of stem cell research using cord blood stem cells from living babies.

A team of South Korean researchers, headed by Prof. Kang Kyung-sun of Seoul National University, has successfully grown pancreatic beta cells from umbilical cord blood stem cells of newborn babies. The stem cells are able to secrete insulin, the hormone necessary for treatment of diabetes. The ability of cord blood stem cells to differentiate, or change into other types of cells in the body is a new discovery that holds great promise for improving the treatment of some of the most common diseases including diabetes. This achievement would be highlighted by The Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, the U.S.-based weekly, that documents breakthrough papers in biotechnology.

Similar breakthroughs have been achieved by scientists throughout the world. Researchers at the University of Newcastle, in Dublin, produced a ‘mini liver' from cord blood stem cells. The technique will be developed to create a full-sized, fully functioning liver. Tissues from mini-livers will be used to test new drugs. Researchers are hopeful that within five years, pieces of the tissue can be used to repair damaged livers and within 15 years, actual liver transplants may be done using lab-grown livers made from cord blood. This is a significant achievement that can potentially develop treatments for liver diseases.

In a study published by the University of Minnesota, researchers discovered that some umbilical cord blood cells possess similar characteristics to primitive stem cells. According to Walter Low, Ph.D., senior investigator of the study and professor of Neurosurgery and the Stem Cell Institute at the University of Minnesota, this major discovery is crucial to understanding how cord blood stem cells can restore brain function after injury such as in stroke. In a laboratory test, cord blood stem cells were transplanted into rodents with controlled strokes. The results: some limb function was restored and the size of brain lesions was reduced. Cord blood stem cells developed into neuron-type cells, similar to those found in the brain. They also stimulated nerve fibers in the brain, thus the regained function in rats. This finding will significantly help advance the development of stroke research.

Stem cell technology has been advancing forward in leaps and bounds. The breakthroughs in cord blood stem cell research can substantially speed up the development of treatments for life-threatening diseases and debilitating conditions. Cord blood stem cell research avoids much of the controversy and problems associated with embryonic stem cell research.

Cord blood cells show better chances of matching family members’ genetic type than stem cells retrieved from bone marrow. Researches have established that parents and siblings both carry 25% more chances of match with the cord blood cells of newborns. Furthermore, importance of therapeutic benefits found in cord blood cells is being strongly felt in treating various malignancies, immune diseases, metabolic disorders. Benefits are still emerging through scientific breakthroughs and are awakening more parents to consider cord blood storage in a cord blood banking facility especially when it is absolutely harmless and painless!

Why Do You Need To Preserve Your Newborns’ Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells?

Cord blood stem cells in umbilical cord of the placenta are found to be enriched with hematopoietic stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells are the progenitor cells which, unlike embryonic stem cells, can develop into any type of human cells. These progenitor cells are capable of forming cells ranging from red blood cells, white blood cells to platelets, therefore, they can be used in treating diseases of immune and blood system. As of now, more than 70 diseases can be treated by the stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord. Some of the diseases are leukemia, Fanconi Anemia, Krabbe disease, etc. By preserving your baby’s cord blood, you are actually saving your child from the dangers of waiting for matching donors during emergencies.

How Is Umbilical Cord Blood Collected?

The process of collecting cord blood cells entail no danger and can be done before and after delivery of the placenta. Cord blood collection before the placenta delivered is termed ‘in utero’ and after delivery is ‘ex utero’. Apart from differences in medical terminology, these two collection methods do not differ in actual process. As the umbilical cord blood cells are collected as soon as the cords are clamped and cut off, risks and pains for both mother and child is considered zero. These two cord blood cell collection processes ensure no risk in caesarean as well as vaginal deliveries.

Cord Blood Preservation

After collection, the samples are transferred to the cord blood bank labs to be processing and cryopreserving. The blood is tested for diseases like sickle cell anemia, malaria, and AIDS. The cord blood processing steps mainly include separation and removal of the red blood cells. The temperature of the cord blood unit is slowly reduced in order to avoid shock. When the unit containing umbilical stem cells releases its temperature and drops to minus 90 degree Celsius, it is stored in special freezers for cord blood storage. It is interesting to note that the cord blood is collected and preserved in special bags with compartments- around 80% of the stem cells on one side and the remaining 20% on the other. The 80% is kept aside for transplants and the 20% for stem cell expansion (if transplants are required repeatedly)

Today, collection of stem cells is a much talked about issue and widely encouraged. By preserving your baby’s cord blood, you are actually increasing your chances of finding stem cell matches for your family. It is tough in case of African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and people born with multi ethnicity. About 30 to 70 percent people have shown failure in matching bone marrow in cases of serious requirement - cord blood stem cells collection comes to the rescue in such cases.

Many people ask this question about the need and benefit of storing cord blood cells in a cord blood bank at such a high cost. The answer is – the umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells that have the potential to help in the treatment of around 50 serious diseases. Some of them include leukemia, genetic and immune disorders, cardio vascular diseases, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, and several cancers.

There are three kinds of people in this world, who opt for cord blood storage or cord blood banking:

The first ones are the families who crave for comfort and assurance that cord blood banking provides. Should the need arise; they have their baby’s cord blood readily available.

The second ones are the people who are excited with this new discovery and wish to become a part of the stem cell revolution.

The third ones are people who are in need of cord blood to treat their family members who are in grave medical condition.

The umbilical cord blood contains the same hematopoietic stem cells found in bone marrow. These stem cells are elemental constituents of blood and immune system of the body.

Do you know that every year, about 14,000 people in America alone need a bone marrow transplant for treating their diseases? And the scary part is that not everyone is ready to give their bone marrow, therefore, there is a constant dearth of donors. As it’s said, “necessity is the mother of invention”; in a bid to meet the needs of patients, researchers have discovered an alternative source of stem cells - umbilical cord blood.

Save Your Child

Saving cord blood is not simply for donation purposes, but also for your personal use to save your child from some of the fatal diseases. By saving the umbilical cord of your baby, you are sort of securing your child’s life.

Just 50 ml of cord blood harbors millions of stem cells. These cells from your baby’s umbilical blood are compatible with her immune system, hence, can be utilized in combating a large number of big diseases, including Hodgkin’s disease and leukemia, WITHOUT any risk of rejection. THIS IS THE MAJOR ADVANTAGE OF CORD BLOOD TRANSFUSION.

A Unique Treasure

The cord blood stem cells of your baby are unique and are better than other kinds of stem cells. Firstly, they are immature and have a greater probability to be a suitable match for your family members. Research has shown that patients have double chances of survival if their stem cell donor is their own relative. The association of graft vs. host disease (GVHD) is lesser with cord blood stem cell treatment than in other stem cell treatments. It is important to know that the main cause of death of patients in stem cell transplantation cases is due to rejection of cells by the patient’s body.

Therefore, among the wise decisions that you take in life, umbilical cord blood banking should be one of them.

ADVANTAGES OF CORD BLOOD STORAGE

Cord blood collection is a simple and painless process. However, it has to be done at birth.

There is no requirement of general anesthesia in harvesting cord blood, unlike bone marrow.

The stored cord blood is readily available at the time of need.

There is lower procurement cost as compared to that in bone marrow or peripheral blood.

There is 100 per cent compatibility for your baby and 25 per cent probability of turning out to be a perfect match for the sibling. In addition, it has the potential to be used for parents as well as grandparents.

Thus, storing cord blood is like saving a life!

After cord blood collection, the blood is saved in bags or vials; it is taken to the cord blood bank through courier service. Once it reaches the bank, the sample is rendered a unique identification number. Thereafter, the doctors separate the stem cells from the blood and store them cryogenically (by freezing them in liquid nitrogen). After that, when needed, the cord blood stem cells are unfreeze and utilized in either Allogeneic Procedures or Autologous Procedures.

Cryopreservation

During cord blood storage, each vial is labeled with cord blood number, name of the baby, date of birth, date of processing, and the contents. Then, it enters the first stage of cryopreservation. The vials are positioned in two cryo-tanks having different temperature and then are submerged into tanks containing liquid nitrogen. This step ensures the safety of stem cells. The series of falling temperature prevents the stem cells from undergoing a shock due to the intense negative temperature of - 32 degree Fahrenheit.

Freezing The Cord Blood- Liquid Nitrogen

To prevent ice crystals from forming over the stem cells, it is important to freeze the cells gradually. For this, a particular controlled-rate freezer is used. The handling processes and the freezers are designed to prevent “Transient Warming Events (TWEs). If there is a fluctuation in temperature, the cells will suffer an irreparable damage.

While freezing living tissues, they are dipped in a solvent that safeguards the cells against ice crystal formation. Ice crystals can break the cell membranes. The most common solvent used for cryopreservation is DiMethylSulOxide (DMSO), generally in 10 per cent solution. It serves as a shield around the cells.

Before placing the cells in liquid nitrogen tanks at a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius, the cells are exposed to a gradual freezing process in a vapor tank, which contains liquid nitrogen up to 25 inches to make sure the temperature stays at the above mentioned temperature. All the equipment is placed in a highly supervised and secured facility.

Types Of Freezer

Some of the public cord blood banks with heavy budgets make use of “BioArchive” freezers. They are liquid nitrogen freezers using a proprietary, a robotic system controlled by a computer for cryopreservation and store a maximum of 3,626 bag units. The location as well as the retrieval of each unit is computerized.

The purpose of robotic arm is to prevent “Transient Warming Events (TWEs), when the blood samples are kept or removed from the freezer. A majority of the public cord blood banks in America are making use of “dewars”. They are insulated tanks with lids. The chief disadvantage of these tanks is that the lid has to be lifted open every time you add or remove the samples. The temperatures are under constant evaluation and quite effective for prolonged storage.

Contents Of Freezer

The cord blood is stored in either vials or bags. When the freezer racks get loaded with cord blood containers, they should be positioned at an equal distance from each other to ensure the stability of temperature. The freezer has racks to hold both bags and vials, but it is not advisable to mix the containers in one freezer. Therefore, most of the banks concentrate on one kind of container. The cold nitrogen maintains the cryogenic temperature. Some cord blood banks prefer liquid nitrogen while others prefer cold nitrogen vapor.

There are certain pros and cons of both types of nitrogen.

Pros And Cons Of Liquid Nitrogen

Utilizes greater amount of nitrogen
Keeps constant temperature
There is a documented chance of a contagious disease leaking from a bag and infecting the recipient.
Its long-term viability is determined.

Pros And Cons Of Vapor Nitrogen

This is cheaper
There is a possibility of Transient Warming Events
It is safer for Quarantine tank
Its long term viability is yet not determined

As per theory, the stem cells should remain viable forever. However, the research on cord blood has started only since the 1970s; therefore, the maximum storage time and potential usage of the cells is yet to be determined. However, cord blood stem cells, which have been saved for 14 years, have been utilized in transplants successfully. Therefore, we can say that the stem cells have a good shelf life and can be safely used after many years for cord blood transplant, if stored properly. It is always better to be well informed about cord blood banking before going for it.

Records have shown that a number of ailments have begun reversing their effects when cord blood cells are transplanted to patients. Researchers have shown that cord blood stem cells offer diverse treatment strategies for treating over 70 diseases. But, that’s not all; researches are still being carried out in other diseases where re-growth of cells is mandatory for the patients’ recovery and bone marrow transplants are the mode of treatment.

Cord Blood Stem Cells – Building Blocks Of The Body

Researchers claimed that stem cells from babies’ umbilical cords resemble in hematopoietic feature what bone marrow cells contain. These stem cells have shown their capability of generating different types of cells of organs present in our body. Due to this versatility, uses of cord blood cell are prevalent in treatment of disorders that surface in various organs. However, records state that most of the recipients of cord blood stem cell transplants are ailing from blood disorders.

Cord blood cells are capable of forming all three red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This is the main reason why most of the malignant blood disorders such as childhood and adult leukemia, Thalassemia, Fanconi Anemia, lymphoma are treated by umbilical cord blood stem cell transplanting. Other equally life threatening diseases that have been successfully recovered with cord blood cells are severe spinal cord injuries, immune system disorders, some sight disorders, cardiac diseases like heart attacks, heart muscle disorders, Parkinson’s diseases and so on.

Who Are The Recipients Of Cord Blood Stem Cells?

Patients who put off bone marrow stem cell transplant due to the painful procedures involved are mostly the recipients of these umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants. Most of the cases of cord blood cell transplants have been carried out on children and young adults. One of the reasons for this is the cell quantity that is demanded tends to increase as the recipient happens to be larger. Most of the times, umbilical cord blood cells are not found in adequate portions to match the quantity required by an adult.

These stem cells are commonly termed as ‘naive’ cells as these are the most primitive cells of the body. Being so, they show greater adaptability to form any cells of the organ where tissue re-growth is needed. Therefore, these cells have less chance to be rejected by the recipient’s system.

People of minor racial and ethnic classes find fewer matches of cells in need. Hence, patients originating from these ethnic stocks and classes are highly encouraged to save their babies’ stem cells for their families’ future uses. Besides people born of racial minorities, parents of adopted children, and children born from in vitro fertilization should seriously consider cord blood stem cell banking as finding genetically matched cord blood cells for them is most difficult.

Importance of cord blood registry has led to the establishment of many cord blood banks in the US, Canada, UK and other countries. Effectiveness of using cord blood stem cells for treatment of numerous diseases is the reasons why many people are opting to store the cord blood of their newborn babies in cord blood registries also known as cord blood banks.

These cord blood banks are open 24X7 to help people enroll for cord blood banking. Many banks provide facilities of prompt online enrolments. As huge numbers of cord blood banks are spawning, we as donors should not compromise with the quality and proper functioning of the banks. It is necessary to check out if the banks comply with the strict regulations. Moreover, it would be better to evaluate both – private cord blood banks and public cord blood banks before taking a decision to store your baby’s cord blood in any of these.

Functioning Of Cord Blood Banks

Most of the cord blood banks are function around the clock to provide cord blood banking related information and to accept online enrollments. These banks as well accept corresponding deposits and payments online for enrollments. Upon acceptance, they would supply kits to collect cord blood cells in hospital where your baby is expected.

Parents interested for cord blood storage may enroll either with a public cord blood bank, non-profit private bank or with a for-profit private bank. Public banks collect cord blood samples, which are to be used for researches and stored for public use. The public banks do not reserve the sole rights of donors for usage, whereas private banks are formed to preserve rights of donors to use cord blood stem cells exclusively for their family requirements.

Process of Cord Blood Banking

Registration and enrollment process of the cord blood banks are quite simple regardless of the type - public or private. The banks that charge fee for cord blood storage may offer 6 months interest free payment plans. The cord blood registry charges its clients for the bank’s laboratory, collection kits, sample typing, processing and storing. After collection of cord blood samples from umbilical cords of the baby, the samples are couriered to the cord blood banks.

During processing of cells, red blood cells are separated by some of the banks. However, some banks retain these cells as well. After separation, cells undergo screening process to determine bacterial and viral contamination, sterility, quantity of the cells in samples and viability of the cells for future treatments. The cord blood banks charge annual fees to allow donors to use their storage facilities for cord blood preservation. The annual fees for the cryogenic storing facility are generally charged at the end of each year.

Various Payment Options

Cord blood banks offer a host of different types of payment options. Some banks devise payment schemes like pre-paying plans to provide cord blood registry services for up to 15 to 20 years of storage. A one-time payment option is often offered with a considerable discount over the per year charges.

Some banks charge their clients not even a single cent for cord blood storage until their samples are tested and proved eligible for transplant use.

Cord blood is the blood which is extracted from the umbilical cord and the placenta after a baby’s birth. It is rich in blood forming cells. These cells are called stem cells. Research has proved that stem cells can be used to effectively treat various diseases which were earlier regarded as difficult to cure.

The cord blood from the umbilical cord can not be collected unless the mother gives a written permission. After the mother has found a cord blood bank of her choice, she has to undergo extensive paperwork at the cord blood bank. However, just her consent is not enough. She has to undergo various tests to ensure that her blood is fit for preservation and whether there are any genetic abnormalities.

If the cord blood is being collected by a private cord blood bank, the family preserving the blood has the sole right to the cord blood unit. However, if it is a public cord blood bank, parents are not guaranteed that the blood they get in case of a treatment will be theirs. At this point, the mother is assured that neither she nor her baby’s identity will ever be revealed in case of the blood being donated to someone else.

The collection of cord blood is the responsibility of the cord blood bank or cord blood registry. An important issue here is that if there is any complication during pregnancy or the delivery. The umbilical cord blood is not collected. Besides, the quantity matters too. If the blood in the placenta is too less, the plan for cord blood collection is abandoned. Usually, a single unit of cord blood is around three to five ounces. Less cord blood collected, means less stem cells.

The mother and the baby are not affected in anyway during the cord blood collection. The blood is drained after the delivery and after the umbilical cord is clamped. The entire process normally takes 10 to 15 minutes, but not more than that.

Cord blood banking is a relatively new concept and as of now, records say that stem cells have been effectively used 15 years after preservation. Though experts claim that stem cells, if preserved well, can be preserved forever, there is no evidence to prove this.

Cord blood banking is an expensive affair. Not many parents are sure whether they want to go ahead with the preservation, thinking about the expenses. After all, if their child or its siblings require a transplant, the age old process of bone marrow is always available. Experts here claim that the stem cells in the cord blood are richer than the ones in the bone marrow. This argument can be challenged by the fact that bone marrow transplants do not face the ‘quantity limitation’ like the umbilical cord blood. At the end of the day, it depends on the parents of the baby whether they want to preserve the cord blood of the baby in a cord blood bank. Some parents, however, like to look at it as a health insurance for the family.