Stem cell collection
The process is simple, non-invasive, and delayed cord clamping compatible.
Smart Cells preserves your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells at birth in case they or their sibling need them for treatment later.
You can choose to store cord blood or tissue – or ideally both. While cord blood stem cells are the most popular type of sample collected currently, research and clinical trials underway on cord tissue show great promise for the future of stem cell treatments.
A healthy future can be planned – it only takes five easy steps
Inform your
phlebotomist
In the UK, a trained and licensed phlebotomist from a dedicated service will perform the collection.
Your kit is
collected
Once your baby’s sample has been collected, call Smart Cells. They will send a courier to collect and transport the sample to the laboratory near Heathrow Airport.
Samples are
processed
Your baby’s sample is tested, processed, and cryogenically frozen at the laboratory.
Samples are stored
for 25 years
Smart Cells will call you to confirm the successful storage of your baby’s sample. This sample will be stored safely for 25 years.
BioSafe SepaxTM Processing Methodology
Smart Cells uses SepaxTM to process cord blood – the globally-trusted, leading technology in the field of stem cell banking. Many thousands of successful transplants have been undertaken worldwide using Sepax TM-processed cord blood units.
The closed-system processing produces high-quality, stem cell-enriched cord blood products. These products work with recognised cryopreservation and long-term storage techniques and are compatible with end-user transplant requirements.
It is well recognised that both the Total Nucleated Cell Count (TNC) and viable CD34+ stem cell doses in a cord blood unit following thawing for use are critical to successful clinical outcome. Smart Cells undertake regular auditing of cord blood yields following processing and after freezing and thawing processed cells. Smart Cells testing data shows the cell recovery rate for TNC is 86.81% and CD34 cell recovery rate is 75.3% – both well above industry standard.
Quality Assurance and Testing
All samples are fully traceable throughout the journey, including testing, receipt, processing, cryopreservation, storage, and release for treatment if required.
Samples are tested and validated for sterility in accredited UK NHS laboratories.
Cord blood
All samples are tested in-house for full blood and viable CD34 stem cell counts. Processing and cryopreservation procedures are validated at least twice annually by thawing test aliquots to check cell numbers and viable cell recovery. Smart Cells participates in independent UK External Quality Assurance Schemes (NEQAS) to ensure these tests are accurate.
Cord tissue
Following processing, small test segments are reserved for each sample. Representative segments are sent to an independent laboratory for viability and cell culture testing, and immunophenotyping which checks the type of stem cells in the tissue. These validation tests are run at least twice per year and can be arranged should a sample be proposed for use.
