Cord blood stem cells are a type of adult stem cell. Blood can be collected from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby shortly after birth. This blood is rich in blood stem cells that can be used to generate red blood cells and cells of the immune system.
Cord Blood stem cells can be used to treat a range of blood disorders and immune system conditions such as leukaemia, anaemia and autoimmune diseases.
Once collected, cord blood can be stored in a cord blood bank. Cord blood may be banked privately, at the expense of the parents, for the potential future use of that blood by the donor and compatible siblings. As this blood originated from the person receiving it, there would be no problem with rejection of the transplanted tissue. However the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) College Statement of July 2007 warns that if a donor developed a haematological malignancy (blood cancer) and required a transplant in the future their own stored cord blood is generally not recommended to treat their subsequent malignancy (for the full statement visit
www.ranzcog.edu.au)
Alternatively, the cord blood may be donated to a general or public cord blood bank for use by other tissue matched individuals in need of a transplant. Someone requiring a transplant would be treated with stem cells from the sample most closely matching their own tissue type, thus minimising complications associated with immune rejection.
Cord blood stem cells may also be useful for treatment of diseases other than blood disorders. Preliminary research reports suggest that cord blood stem cells may have a greater ability to differentiate into different cell types than was previously thought possible. Using animal model, several research groups have used human cord blood stem cells to treat heart attacks and repair injured blood vessels. However, this research is at a very early stage. Scientists are presently unsure whether the cord blood stem cells are transformed into heart muscle or blood vessels, or if they secrete growth factors, that trigger repair. If further studies and clinical trials prove successful, cord blood stem cells may provide a new treatment for cardiovascular disease with fewer side effects than current drug based and surgical treatments.