Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells
Prior to the discovery of ucb stem cells it was standard procedure to discard the umbilical cord and placenta.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells. With the consent of the parents blood can be collected from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby shortly after birth. 1 325 off our newborn stem cell bundle thru oct. Receiving a cord blood transplant is similar to receiving a bone marrow transplant. Cord blood can also be donated altruistically for clinical use.
A newborn s umbilical cord is full of stem cells that often get discarded upon birth. Umbilical cord blood is useful for research. The cord blood is removed from the umbilical cord and the placenta soon after a baby is born. The umbilical cord fluid is loaded with stem cells.
Stem cells from umbilical cord blood are hematopoetic stem cells like adult bone marrow stem cells meaning that they make blood cells. Umbilical cord blood is rich in cells that express the cd34 molecule a surface protein that identifies cells as stem cells. They can treat cancer blood diseases like anemia and some immune system disorders which disrupt your body s ability to defend itself. Now much effort is devoted to raising public awareness and to encouraging people to store or donate cord blood.