Cord blood cells are a form of stem cells which can be extracted from the blood in the umbilical cord of a newborn infant. These cells, like other types of blood stem cells, can be used to treat patients with certain kinds of blood and bone cancers, or those who suffer from other immunological disorders. Cord blood stem cells have many distinct advantages over other stem cell sources.
Extraction Procedure
Cord blood cells are easy to obtain, notes the National Cord Blood Program. Cord blood is collected shortly after birth and is harvested from the blood cells in the umbilical cord. Cord blood is only harvested once the cord has been detached from the baby, and the pprocedure poses no health risk to the mother or to the infant. These stem cells need to be collected almost immediately after delivery, and can then be analyzed and stored in a temperature-controlled vault for years. If the cord blood cells are not collected, they are thrown away along with the placenta and umbilical cord.
Ease of Access
Cord blood cells can be made available relatively quickly for treatment, explains the National Marrow Donor Program. Units of cord blood are stored so that they are ready to be used if needed. In general, a unit of cord blood can be shipped to a transplant center within two weeks, which means that there is no need to check national bone marrow registries for a suitable marrow or peripheral stem cell donor. If cord blood is not used, finding a suitable donor and extracting the stem cells can take up to two months. Thus, cord blood cells have a distinct advantage as a method of treatment if the patient requires an immediate transplant.
Easier Matching
Cord blood stem cells require less exact matching to be suitable for a donation, states the National Cord Blood Program. Bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplants require an exact match, often referred to as 8/8, in order to be used to treat a patient. Cord blood cells, on the other hand, are formed from more immature stem cells, which means that they can be used even if the donor and the transplant recipient are only a partial match. This is especially important if the cord blood cells are donated to a public bank because they can be used for a greater number of potential patients, thereby maximizing their utility.
Lower Graft vs. Host Disease
Cord blood stem cells are also less likely to trigger a condition known as graft vs. host disease, or GVHD. GVHD is caused by the cells in the transplant treating the recipient's tissue as if it is foreign. GVHD is a serious complication of a bone or blood cell transplant because it leads to the host being attacked by the immune system. Anything that lowers the risk of this happening increases the patient's chances of survival.
Lower Viral Infection Risk
Stem cells taken from an adult's bone marrow or blood are likely to be infected with certain viruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus. These infections are common among adult donors; approximately half of all adults in the United States are infected with cytomegalovirus, for example. These viral infections, while rarely posing a threat to the donor, can cause life-threatening complications for stem cell recipients. Cord blood stem cells are far less likely to have been contaminated with these viruses.
