WHY SAVE CORD BLOOD?

More about why we collect stem cell from umbilical cord blood

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Stem cells are biological cells found in the body

They serve as a repair and maintenance system for other body cells and the blood and immune systems by multiplying and transforming in to blood, bone, tissue and organ cells, when they are required to. At Smart Cells we store stem cells found in the umbilical cord blood and tissue. These potent cells find their way to injured cells and tissue in the body and begin to replace them.

What are cord blood stem cells used for?

Transplant

A cord blood stem cell transplant can be used to replace diseased cells with healthy new cells, and rebuild an individual’s blood and immune system. More recently, cord blood stem cells have been shown to be able to form other tissues in the body such as nerve and bone cells.

Potential

There has been considerable scientific and clinical interest in the potential of cord blood stem cells in regenerative medicine. In laboratory work, cord blood cells have been shown to be capable of developing into a range of cell types such as nerve, bone, skin, heart and liver cells to name a few.

Future

These exciting developments have already translated into early clinical treatment of ischaemic heart disease and some neurological conditions. The future of regenerative medicine holds much promise and cord blood is likely to play a major part in this advancement in our ability to treat human disease.

Why store my baby’s cord blood stem cells?

Stem cell therapy holds great promise for treating and perhaps one day curing many diseases. For those who are already suffering from a disease that stem cells can treat, storing stem cells may have a personal importance and relevance.

For others, it is likely that at some point in their life, they or a loved one will be affected by a disease that stem cells can treat.

ONE CHANCE

Storing your baby’s stem cells at the time of birth is a once in a lifetime opportunity to capture a valuable resource that could be used in the treatment of serious illness or disease.

A RICH SOURCE

In the past the main source of stem cells came from bone marrow. Today however, we’ve found through intensive research that umbilical cord blood and tissue are a rich source of particularly potent stem cells.

SUCCESS

The first successful stem cell transplant using stem cells found in the umbilical cord blood was in 1988. The patient was a little boy suffering from a serious blood disorder called Fanconi’s Anaemia, and the cord blood was obtained from his new born sister.

TREATMENT

The potential for stem cells to replace damaged cells and tissue is an exciting one. The potential for stem cells to replace damaged cells and tissue is an exciting one. There are over 80 diseases for which transplants of blood-forming stem cells are considered a standard treatment option.

References:

It is well accepted that there are over 80 diseases for which transplants of blood-forming stem cells (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants (HSCT) are a standard treatment. Follow these links to see more information:

For more innovative stem cell based treatments that have not been adopted as standard therapies, patients may be treated as part of clinical trials. ClinicalTrials.gov has a database listing such trials internationally.

FIRST TRANSPLANT

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SUCCESSFUL TRANSPLANTS

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DISEASES

Fighting disease and illness

Over 30,000 cord blood transplants have taken place around the world and have been used in the treatment of:

(*Innovative early clinical trials)

IMMUNE DISORDERS

Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Hystiocytic Disorders
Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency
Wiskott- Aldrich Syndrome

BLOOD DISORDERS

Aplastic Anaemia
Beta Thalassemia
Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia
Fanconi’s Anaemia
Sickle Cell Disease

NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS*

Traumatic Brain Injury
Cerebral Palsy
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
HSV Encephalitis & NMDA Receptor
Antibody Encephalitis

CANCER

Acute Leukaemia
Chronic Leukaemia
High-Risk Solid Tumors
Hodgkin & Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Myelodysplastic Syndromes

METABOLIC DISORDERS

Krabbe Disease
Hurler Syndrome
Metachromatic Leukodystrophy
Sanfilippo Syndrome
Hunter Syndrome

References:

Use of privately banked autologous umbilical cord blood to treat brain injuries in paediatric patients. A. Smith, J. Sun, J. Allison, M. Mimbrero-Ramirez, K. Hussain,J. Kurtzberg. Bone Marrow Transplantation, Volume 51, Issue S1 (2016), p S568. Follow the link to see more information:

Published extracts

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