Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells Have Potentially Lifesaving Applications
Stem Cell Preservation, Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Storage
To date, umbilical cord blood stem cells have proven capable of treating over 80 potentially life-threatening diseases and conditions, including acute and chronic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and various inherited disorders and abnormalities. Ongoing research may one day find ways to apply these CD34+ stem cells in the treatment of diabetes, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, as well as other diseases and conditions that cannot yet be treated effectively.
Cord blood banks have recognized the regenerative potential of these stem cells and have invested the time and effort to collect, process, and cryogenically store (freeze) them for the potential future health needs of their clients’ families or the public. Many expecting parents have agreed to have their children’s umbilical cord blood stem cells harvested and preserved, as they may someday save or improve the life of a family member who requires treatment.
LifebankUSA™, a Celgene-owned company, has been collecting and storing potentially life-saving and life-improving CD34+ stem cells since 1998 to give families greater peace of mind. To further that cause, the company recently introduced Placenta-Cord banking, a service that allows families to bank CD34+ stem cells from umbilical cord blood and the placenta to maximize the number of stem cells collected for potential future use. Transplant success and patient survival have shown improvement with the availability of more CD34+ stem cells for treatment.
admin @ March 22, 2009