Cellular revolution: umbilical cord blood cells

Umbilical cord blood is the blood found in the umbilical cord which is connected to the placent and can be found inside the mother’s womb during her pregnancy period. This blood is collected by cutting the umbilical cord few minutes just after the birth. This cord blood is of utter advantage to the medical science and research as the cells and cord blood tissues are a great source of stem cells. The isolation of the umbilical cord blood is a painless process and does not harm the mother and the child.

Cord blood is so valuable because it contains a vast tarn of self replicating, blood forming and multi-use stem cells. These cord blood cells have a unique characteristic of forming any type of cell or tissue or organ which has been damaged or spoiled inside the human body in due course of time. These cells are capable of producing all types of blood cells, namely, platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells.

These cells are far better for the transplant purpose as compared to the bone marrow stem cells as they are comparatively young cells and are more versatile than those of bone marrow or the peripheral tissues. This transplant has come out as a life saving treatment for the patients suffering from various lethal aliments such as leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, diabetes, osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, other blood and immune deficiency disorders etc.

Umbilical cord blood cells are not similar to the embryogenic stem cells. This is because they are found in the umbilical cord of the mother and nowhere as inside the body. These cells are also young as compared to the primitive embryonic cells.

There is absolutely no harm collecting the cord blood especially when the child is born. There is less requirement of the stem cell collected from the cord blood to be tested before the transplant as it is the fresh source of stem cells. The cord blood stem cells are less prone to infection and contamination because of the cryogenic conditions adapted for storing the cord blood.

The only disadvantage of the cord blood is that it is present in a very small quantity. Umbilical cord is quiet small and thus contains less amount of cord blood. Although the stem cells are present in abundance in the cord blood, still its resource is limited and small. Thus for the purpose of transplantation of cord blood cells, in the case of adults, there is a large requirement of cord blood.

Cord blood cells have life stored in them and thus are very useful for the mankind. New researches are coming up to make the best use of this boon bestowed upon the medical science.

The positive results of the research of the cord blood cells have also boosted the doctors to study about these cells more and more. Thus it is necessary to preserve and store the cord blood and the cord blood stem cells for assuring a safe and healthy future to your young one.

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