The umbilical cord is the lifeline of the baby. It supplies oxygen, nutrients and most importantly, the immunity the baby needs. Umbilical cord blood also contains stem cells - the basic cells of life. Modern science is now able to harness the power of these stem cells.
Stem Cells are the 'master cells' of the body. They have the potential to grow into different types of body cells. For example, they can potentially be transformed into red blood cells that carry oxygen, white blood cells that fight infection, platelets that promote clotting and other individual tissues. This unique ability of stem cells creates a very exciting option for medical treatment.
If there is a family history of blood cancers or thalassemia, or, unfortunately, any older sibling is suffering from any of these disorders, cord blood can be a potential lifeline.
Studies have proved that cord blood stem cells can be used to treat various life-threatening diseases such as:
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Cord tissue
Umbilical Cord Tissue is a jelly- that makes the cord. The blood vessels run through this tissue from where cord blood is collected.
Umbilical Cord Tissue is a jelly- that makes the cord. The blood vessels run through this tissue from where cord blood is collected.
 | As per recent findings, this cord tissue is a very rich source of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). |
| While MSCs are also found to be present in a few adult tissues, their number is very small. |
| These type of stem cells have the ability to develop into various types of cells which make the: |
- Heart muscles
- Bone joint cells
- Brain Cells
- Spinal cord cells
- Cells that make insulin in our body
- Cells of the liver, and many more
With cord tissue stem cells, stem cell application is reaching new heights of therapeutic use thereby, widening the usage possibilities in a wider age group.
MSCs can be used to treat various tissue related disorders, some of which are listed below:
| Indication | Cell Type |
|---|---|
| Type-1 Diabetes | Pancreatic beta cells |
| Spinal cord injury | Neural cells |
| Myocardial Infarction | Cardiomyocytes |
| Diabetic cardiomyopathy | Angiogenetic vascular cells |
| Bone repair and remodeling cartilage repair | Osteoblast cells (Osteoporosis) and remodeling |
| Chondrocytes |
| MSCs can be used along with cord blood stem cells for treatment of blood disorders, which helps in: |
- Better and faster acceptance of stem cells
- Resulting in better treatment outcome
Hence, adult patients suffering from blood disorders, mainly leukemia, can also benefit.
Hence storing the cord blood can prove miracle for the baby in their future if needed. Its a precious gift that can be given to the offspring in today's world of fast scientific advancement, that is only in the hands of the parents as it can be collected only at the time of birth. cord tissue can be collected together with cord blood and the life of the child can be made secured.
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