COMMON QUERRIES ON UMBELLICAL CORD STEM CELL BANKING

1. WHAT IS UMBELLICAL CORD BLOOD? After a baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut, some blood remains in the blood vessels of the placenta and the portion of the umbilical cord that remains attached to it. After birth, the baby no longer needs this extra blood. This blood is called placental blood or umbilical cord blood: "cord blood" for short. Cord blood is rich stem cells, similar to those found in bone marrow. This is why cord blood can be used for transplantation as an alternative to bone marrow. Most cord blood transplants have been performed in patients with blood and immune system diseases, genetic and metabolic diseases. More than 80 different diseases have been treated to date with unrelated cord blood transplants. 2. WHAT ARE STEM CELLS? Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have two defining properties: Ability to differentiate into other cells Ability to self-regenerate. The ability to differentiate is the potential to develop into other cell types. Self-regeneration is the ability of stem cells to divide and produce more stem cells. During early development each cell divides to gives rise to daughter cells each with the same potential. Later in development, the cell divides with one of the daughter cells produced also a stem cell and the other a more differentiated cell. Stem cells are the building blocks of various organs and tissues in the body. Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. Sources of stem cells: Embryonic Stem Cells by using a donated human embryo Bone Marrow Peripheral Blood Stem Cells Cord Blood Stem Cells

3. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF CORD CELLS? Stem cells from cord blood are much easier to get because they are readily obtained from the placenta at the time of delivery These can be stored and transplanted back into the donor, to a family member or to an unrelated recipient. Approximately 25 percent of these individuals have a relative who is an appropriate tissue match. Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD), in which donor cells can attack the recipients tissues, appears to occur less frequently with cord blood than with bone marrow. Cord blood also is less likely to contain certain infectious agents, like some viruses, that can pose a risk to transplant recipients.

4. HOW IT IS STORED? The stem cells collected from umbilical cord blood samples, are frozen to sub zero temperatures. Machines are used to freeze the stem cells in programmable steps before putting them into the deep freeze stage in liquid nitrogen. The technique of Vitrification, on the other hand, claims to cryopreserve the samples while negating the damaging effects of ice crystal formation. The technique uses cryoprotectants before the cooling process, which increases the viscosity. The process also ensures that the solution doesnt crystallize and turns into amorphous ice. The same effect can be produced through rapid cooling of water without using the cryoprotectants

5. WHAT ARE THE FUTURE POTENTIALS? Research indicates that these stem cells someday may be used to treat numerous other diseases including Alzheimer's Disease Cartilage Regeneration Diabetes Heart Disease Liver Disease Multiple Sclerosis Muscular Dystrophy Spinal Cord Injury Stroke.

6. WHAT IS THE COST? The cost varies from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 3 lacs on different types of storing and number of stem cells stored. SOME MORE OF YOUR QUERRIES: How to get cord blood to the bank? After the cord blood is collected in the Collection kit (ordered beforehand), a friend or family member must notify the bank. The bank will arrange a courier service for the pickup at the hospital directly. Does the collection hurt the baby or mother? No. The collection process is risk-free and painless to both mother and baby as the cord blood is collected after the baby is delivered and the umbilical cord has been clamped. It is virtually risk-free because it is not an invasive procedure to you or your baby. When should I enroll? Expectant mothers should enroll no sooner than 28 th week of pregnancy. Who collects baby's cord blood? Typically, cord blood is collected by attending physician. How successful are cord blood stem cell transplants? Cord Blood Stem Cell transplants are known to be as successful as transplants using stem cells harvested from bone marrow and in many cases are preferred to bone marrow stem cells as they are juvenile stem cells. Moreover, cord blood has other significant advantages over bone marrow, including the ease of collection, better tolerance of HLA mismatches.