Many newer applications are still undergoing development. In some cases, like spinal cord injury and heart attacks, the cells are directly injected into the damaged tissues. Some of the benefits experienced appear to be due to new blood vessel formation, which restores blood flow to damaged tissue.
As these treatments develop, we expect to see umbilical cord blood stem cells used in different ways. In some cases, the stem cells will be treated in the laboratory to make new cell types before use. In other cases, they will be delivered directly into damaged tissue.
1 Source: Netcord Newsletter, January 2008
Since 1988, umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used to treat an increasing number of diseases. Today, this numbers to more than 80 including blood and metabolic disorders, immunodeficiency ailments and autoimmune diseases.
Areas |
Stem Cells from Cord Blood |
Stem Cells from Other Sources |
Match for autologous transplants |
Guaranteed match for all autologous transplants |
Not guaranteed match |
Availability |
Readily Available. Can be retrieved from storage when needed |
International search is costly, takes a very long time and may not find any match or willing donors in the end |
Risk of graft vs host disease |
Low Risk |
Higher Risk. Donor immune system might attack recipient tissue. |
Ease of collection |
Safe and painless collection process, risk free to mother and child |
Procedures are more expensive, complicated and painful to the donor. |
Cell Viability |
Contains younger stem cells which are more vigorous, have a higher rate of engraftment and more tolerant to tissue mismatches. |
Cells are older, less adaptable and harder to engraft. |
Flexibility |
These cells can differentiate into multiple types of tissue cells such as heart cells |
Mature cells are typically fixed to one tissue type. |
Collection source |
Only collected at birth from umbilical cord |
Extracted from adult tissues. |
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