What are Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells?
Umbilical cord blood, otherwise known simply as “cord blood’ or “placental blood”, is the blood that remains in the newborn’s umbilical cord and placenta following birth. Cord blood stem cells are the key building blocks of the human blood and immune system. In other words, cord blood stem cells can be used to generate red blood cells and cells of the human immune system.
The baby’s umbilical cord blood is a rich and valuable source of stem cells, which are genetically unique to the baby and his/her family. It is an alternative source of stem cell transplantation, where traditionally bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells have been used. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are less prone to develop Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) than either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. This is because the umbilical cord stem cells have not yet develop into features that could be recognized by our own body cells and tissues.
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