Once considered biological waste, cord blood is now being stored as a valuable source of stem cells. It can be used in the same way as hematopoietic stem/progenator cells that are harvested from bone marrow or peripheral blood. It is taken from the placenta through the umbilical cord after birth and then frozen using liquid nitrogen at -150 C cord blood banking.
A transfer of these cells can be used to fight diseases like leukemia or even congenital disease like sickle cell anemia. Other conditions that can be treated are severe aplastic anemia and immune deficiencies.
Hematopoietic stems cells (HSCs) are derived from different sources which have different advantages and disadvantages. Some of the benefits of these cells is that they tend to be less mature and so a lower quantity can be used with the same therapeutic results. There is also a less precise match required with the recipient so a greater number of people would be compatible with each unit.
Cord blood is either kept for the benefit of the person from which it was harvested or it is stored in a public bank. There is a minimum quantity requirement for public banks as a transplant will not be successful if there are not enough cells transplanted. The amount that is normally recovered is usually between 50ml and 200ml and this is often not enough to be viable for storage.
Whatever the reason that it is being collected for the permission of the mother should be sought before she goes into labor and when she is still lucid and has not had any anesthetic or sedatives. If it is not possible to get permission under these circumstances then partial permission can be granted before the birth and full permission can be granted afterwards.
The mothers medical history is also very important and any history of conditions that are hereditary must be uncovered because there is a risk that genetic diseases can be transferred by stem cells. Test are conducted for for harmful contamination and the type and characteristics of the cell content will be determined before it is frozen for storage.
There are many different types cell in cord blood but the only type that is currently being used is hematopoietic stem cells so these are the only ones that need to be stored. Various methods are used to remove red blood cells because these offer no therapeutic benefit and they rupture when being thawed. In some cases the plasma is also removed and this then requires less storage space.
There are also different different storage vessels that are used for freezing and they also have different advantages. Small vials called cryotubes are used to store small portions of cord blood that are then boxed together. This is done so that parts can be thawed if there is ever a need for smaller amounts because it cannot be refrozen again.
A transfer of these cells can be used to fight diseases like leukemia or even congenital disease like sickle cell anemia. Other conditions that can be treated are severe aplastic anemia and immune deficiencies.
Hematopoietic stems cells (HSCs) are derived from different sources which have different advantages and disadvantages. Some of the benefits of these cells is that they tend to be less mature and so a lower quantity can be used with the same therapeutic results. There is also a less precise match required with the recipient so a greater number of people would be compatible with each unit.
Cord blood is either kept for the benefit of the person from which it was harvested or it is stored in a public bank. There is a minimum quantity requirement for public banks as a transplant will not be successful if there are not enough cells transplanted. The amount that is normally recovered is usually between 50ml and 200ml and this is often not enough to be viable for storage.
Whatever the reason that it is being collected for the permission of the mother should be sought before she goes into labor and when she is still lucid and has not had any anesthetic or sedatives. If it is not possible to get permission under these circumstances then partial permission can be granted before the birth and full permission can be granted afterwards.
The mothers medical history is also very important and any history of conditions that are hereditary must be uncovered because there is a risk that genetic diseases can be transferred by stem cells. Test are conducted for for harmful contamination and the type and characteristics of the cell content will be determined before it is frozen for storage.
There are many different types cell in cord blood but the only type that is currently being used is hematopoietic stem cells so these are the only ones that need to be stored. Various methods are used to remove red blood cells because these offer no therapeutic benefit and they rupture when being thawed. In some cases the plasma is also removed and this then requires less storage space.
There are also different different storage vessels that are used for freezing and they also have different advantages. Small vials called cryotubes are used to store small portions of cord blood that are then boxed together. This is done so that parts can be thawed if there is ever a need for smaller amounts because it cannot be refrozen again.
About the Author:
Located at Toronto General Hospital, we are a Cord blood clinic experienced in Cord blood banking Canada and cord blood banking.
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