What Are Cord Blood Stem Cells?

Let me tell you about cord blood stem cells and their importance in the world of medicine. But first I need to explain what stem cells are. Stem cells are different from the other cells in the body. They can divide and renew themselves and create new blood cells. They serve to repair the different body tissues as they can replicate other cells without limit. For instance, one stem cell can become another type of cell with a more specialized function such as a muscle cell or a red blood cell. These stem cells can be used to treat people who suffer from genetic diseases such as anemia, leukemia and immune deficiency. Stem cells have been used from bone marrow for many years to treat such diseases, but it is only in the 1970's that researchers discovered that the umbilical cord could supply the same kind of stem cells.

What kind of diseases can be treated using stem cells?

A large number of life threatening diseases can be successfully treated by using stem cells. As I have mentioned earlier, stem cells can renew themselves and can recreate other cells. Therefore they can be used to treat diseases like leukemia where transplants can help to produce new blood and restore the immune system. Similar treatment is used for sickle cell anemia, aplastic anemia, thalassemia and cancers like Hodgkins lymphoma and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Recent cord blood research shows that even ailments like heart disease, spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders can be treated using stem cells. There is even an indication that diabetes may be treated too.

Why Use Cord Blood Stem Cells?

Here I am stating a few advantages that cord blood stem cells have over bone marrow stem cells.

1. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood can be easily collected from the placenta at childbirth. Collection of stem cells from bone marrow is more difficult as surgery is required to do so.
2. Cord blood stem cells can be stored and transplanted back into the same donor, a family member or even an unrelated person.
3. Your cord blood has more capacity to produce a high number of new blood cells compared to bone marrow stem cells.
4. If you store your stem cells in a private cord blood bank, you make it readily available to be used for treatment for yourself and your family if the need arises.
5. Cord blood is available within 3 weeks of collection compared to 4 months for bone marrow stem cells.

Based on the above information, all you young mothers out there should pledge to store your cord blood so that it can be used to save a life, maybe that of your own child. That is how important cord blood stem cells are, they can save lives.