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Additional service – Cord Tissue Stem Cell Banking Plus

Go beyond traditional cord tissue banking with advanced Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) isolation and storage.

Preserve both your baby’s umbilical cord tissue and isolated Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), giving your family access to two complementary forms of stem cell preservation.

Why choose Cord Tissue Stem Cell Banking Plus?

Traditional cord tissue banking stores the umbilical cord tissue for potential future use.

Cord Tissue Stem Cell Banking Plus takes this one step further.

In addition to preserving your baby’s cord tissue, we also isolate Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) from part of the sample using advanced laboratory processing before cryopreserving them for long-term storage.

This provides two complementary forms of preservation, helping your family benefit from both today’s storage technology and the exciting future of regenerative medicine.

Your baby’s cord tissue is preserved in two ways

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Smart Cells UK Laboratory

Four vials of umbilical cord tissue are cryopreserved and stored in our UK laboratory.

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Specialist FamiCord Laboratory

Four additional vials are processed by our specialist FamiCord laboratory, where Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are isolated, quality assessed and cryopreserved.

This unique approach provides:

  • Long-term storage of intact cord tissue.
  • Isolated MSCs preserved for potential future therapeutic applications.
  • Greater flexibility as stem cell science continues to evolve.

What Are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)?

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are one of the most promising types of stem cells being studied in regenerative medicine.

Unlike the blood-forming stem cells found in cord blood, MSCs are specialised cells that support tissue repair, reduce inflammation and help regulate the immune system.

MSCs are naturally found in several tissues throughout the body, including:

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Umbilical cord tissue (Wharton’s Jelly)

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Bone marrow

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Fat (adipose tissue)

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Placenta

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Dental pulp

Among these sources, umbilical cord tissue collected at birth is considered one of the richest and youngest sources of MSCs.

Why store MSCs at birth?

Collecting MSCs from your baby’s umbilical cord offers several important advantages compared with collecting stem cells later in life.

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Young and healthy cells

Newborn stem cells have had minimal exposure to ageing, illness and environmental damage.

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Painless collection

Collection takes place after your baby has been delivered and the umbilical cord has been clamped.
There is no risk or discomfort for either mother or baby.

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Excellent growth potential

MSCs collected at birth generally have greater ability to multiply than those collected from adult tissues.

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Immediately available

If future treatments become appropriate, the cells have already been collected and stored.

What makes MSCs special?

Mesenchymal stem cells have several unique biological properties.

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Tissue Repair

Researchers are studying how MSCs may support the repair of damaged tissues.

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Immune Regulation

MSCs can influence immune responses and help regulate inflammation.

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Anti-inflammatory Properties

MSCs produce signalling molecules that may support natural healing processes.

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Ability to Differentiate

MSCs can develop into specialised cells including:
• Bone
• Cartilage
• Muscle
• Tendon
• Ligament
• Fat
• Connective tissue

Cord blood stem cells vs Cord tissue stem cells

Although both are collected at birth, they perform different roles.

Cord blood stem cells

Form blood and immune cells

Used in over 80 established treatments

Haematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs)

Mainly treat blood disorders

Cord tissue stem cells (MSCs)

Support tissue repair

Widely researched in regenerative medicine

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)

Potential future applications across many medical fields

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Many families choose to preserve both cord blood and cord tissue because they contain different types of stem cells with complementary characteristics.

Areas of research

Researchers around the world are investigating MSCs across hundreds of clinical studies.

Current research includes:

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Orthopaedic Medicine

• Osteoarthritis
• Cartilage repair
• Sports injuries
• Bone regeneration

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Neurological Conditions

• Cerebral palsy
• Stroke recovery
• Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Spinal cord injury

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Autoimmune Diseases

• Crohn’s disease
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Graft-versus-host disease

Cardiovascular Disease

Research into heart repair following cardiac injury.

Liver and Kidney Disease

Studies exploring tissue regeneration.

Diabetes

Investigating immune regulation and pancreatic protection.

Respiratory Disease

Research into inflammatory lung conditions.

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How Cord Tissue Stem Cell Banking Plus Works

  • 1

    Following your baby’s birth, the umbilical cord tissue is collected safely after the cord has been clamped.

  • 2

    The sample is transported securely to our UK laboratory.

  • 3

    Our laboratory prepares eight storage vials from the collected cord tissue.
    Four vials are cryopreserved and stored in our UK laboratory as part of our standard cord tissue banking service.
    Four additional vials are carefully transported to our specialist FamiCord laboratory.

  • 4

    At the FamiCord laboratory, Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are isolated from the cord tissue using validated laboratory processes.

  • 5

    The isolated MSCs undergo rigorous quality assessment, including evaluation of cell viability and cell count.

  • 6

    Once quality requirements have been met, the isolated MSCs are cryopreserved for long-term storage.

Quality assurance

Quality is central to our MSC Isolation Service.

Every processed sample undergoes quality assessment before long-term storage.

To ensure meaningful preservation, isolated MSCs must achieve our minimum quality standards and cell count requirements.

If these requirements cannot be met, the MSC Isolation fee will be refunded in accordance with our Service Agreement.

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Why choose Smart Cells?

For more than 25 years, Smart Cells has helped families preserve newborn stem cells.

As part of the FamiCord Group, Europe’s largest stem cell bank, we combine decades of experience with advanced laboratory expertise.

Our Cord Tissue Stem Cell Banking Plus service offers:

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Over 25 years of stem cell banking experience

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Part of the FamiCord Group

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Support for more than 8,400 stem cell therapies worldwide

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Advanced MSC isolation technology

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Secure cryogenic storage

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High laboratory quality standards

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Dedicated customer support

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Why is it worth it?

Unlike standard cord tissue banking, this service preserves both:

– Intact umbilical cord tissue.

– Isolated Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs).

This gives your family two complementary forms of stem cell preservation from a single collection.

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Price

FAQs

  • Does this replace cord tissue banking?
  • Why isolate MSCs now?
  • Are MSC therapies available today?
  • Can my family use these stem cells?
  • Why is Cord Tissue Stem Cell Banking Plus different?