Stem cell storage - volume reduction process

Whole Blood - Why Smart Cells International do not store it?  

Cord blood banks use a variety of processing and storage techniques but the international gold standard is volume reduction, as used at Smart Cells International.

During volume reduction, we separate the group of cells containing stem cells from the plasma and red blood cells.  This cell population, which contains both blood forming and potential tissue forming stem cells, is then slowly frozen in automated control rate freezers.  This process if receommended by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and is used in both public and private cord banks internationally

Benefits of volume reduction:

When cord blood is received at the laboratory, the red cell and plasma components are removed in preparation for freezing.

Neither the red blood cells, nor the plasma contribute any therapeutic benefit in a transplant.

Red cells lyse, or rupture, upon freezing

The lysed cells and their contents remain within the cord blood unit for transplantation and are considered undesirable for the pateint to receive at the time of transplant.