Cord Blood Bank

Cord Blood Today 

Research on the uses of cord blood in transplant medicine and tissue culture is still at its infancy. However, scientists today have advanced greatly and many efforts have been made to thoroughly explore the possible uses of cord blood in this area. Today cord blood stem cells are used to treat more than 40 life threatening diseases. These include a wide range of cancers, genetic diseases, immune system deficiencies and blood disorders.

Successful transplants of cord blood stem cells in patients with anemia or leukemia has been reported from different parts of the world. There are more than 80 clinical trials with cord blood registered with the FDA in 2007.

Problems with cord blood

For a successful transplant, the cord blood that is collected will have to be contamination free and sufficient for reconstitution of the hematopoetic system (formation of red blood and other cells in the blood). If the cord blood is contaminated it will have to be decontaminated if possible (and this process is still in an experimental stage) or if the volume is insufficient, it will have to be increased. A large number of Doctors prefer to focus on research to increase the volume of the cord blood stem cells in the cord blood unit. The volume required for this purpose is measured in the context of the body weight of the person receiving the transplant. However, recent research has indicated that if the cord blood stored is not sufficient for the purpose, it can be joined with units of stem cells from bone marrow or peripheral blood.

Cord blood – increasing the volume

Yet other researchers are focusing on methods of multiplying the cord blood stem cells. One successful experiment was conducted in USA in the year 2000 the researchers managed to multiply cord blood stem cells in the laboratory. Clinical trials are also being conducted to cure tumors and leukemia using cord blood stem cells multiplied at the lab. There are around 80 varieties of diseases in this category which can be treated if the clinical trials are successful. In Poland Cord blood stem cells were used to cure children with Hypoplastic (Incomplete development of organ or part) disorders and solid tumors.

Cord blood and chemotherapy

Recent research also indicates that patients, who react adversely to chemotherapy and radio therapy, can be helped by use of regenerative cord blood stem cells transplants, as it regenerates the healthy cells which were damaged during the treatment. It has also been found that certain types of cord blood stem cells can be used to form cardiac muscles, bones, cartilage, fatty cells, or differentiate into neurons, liver cells and other cells.

Possible future uses of cord blood

1. The pluripotent stem cells (cells with ability to form different kinds of cells) contained in the cord blood can be used to differentiate into other kinds of cells such as skin cells or tissue cells.
2. It has been found that cord blood from multiple sources can be used in combination if the quantum of cord blood required for treatment of adults is insufficient from a single source.
3. In the area of diabetes early stage clinical trials are being conducted to treat Type I diabetes with the patient’s own cord blood. The aim is to reduce the dependency on insulin.
4. Researchers are investigating the potential use of cord blood in the treatment of different kinds of heart diseases. The cord blood stem cells have the potential of transforming into cardiac muscles and would be extremely useful in rebuilding damaged heart tissues.