Your baby’s umbilical cord blood is the richest known source of stem cells from the human body. Here we’ll take a look at stem cells in more detail to find out what they do, what they are and why they are so special.
Stem cells are the building blocks of life, in fact the very first cell created at conception is a stem cell and every cell created after that could, theoretically, be traced back to that single cell. As the cells continue to divide after conception the stem cells become more and more specialised to create every single organ, every single hair and every single cell of your baby.
There are many different kinds of stem cell and one of the most controversial kinds of stem cells is the embryonic stem cell. Stem cells are the master cells of the body, this means they can transform into specialised cell types as needed by your body. Embryonic stem cells are chosen for research by some scientists due to their ability to differentiate (become specialised cells); these cells come directly from an embryo. Embryonic stem cells are not found in umbilical cord blood, cord blood is a completely ethical source of stem cells.
One kind of stem cell found in umbilical cord tissue are Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), these stem cells hold great promise in the field of regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine looks to use the body’s own cells to repair or replace tissues which are damaged or diseased. Currently, scientists are conducting clinical trials investigating regenerative therapies, with early evidence indicating that many serious conditions may one day, should these trials progress, be managed using these cells.
Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are used in matched donor transplants for illnesses such as Sickle Cell Disease, Leukaemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma; HSCs are also found in cord blood.
TThe wonderful thing about your baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells is that they are a 100% perfect genetic match for your baby. This means that replacement cells are available for potential treatments without the risk of rejection; however, it is important to understand that for genetic conditions, these autologous cells would first need to undergo genetic modification or gene therapy. In addition to this, your baby’s cord blood stem cells have a greater chance of being matched to a blood relative should they ever need them; siblings have a 25% chance of finding a stem cell match with their sibling’s cord blood.
