What are stem cells?
Stem cells have two characteristics that distinguish them from other types of cells: First, they are unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods of time through cell division. Second, they can become cells with special functions, such as the beating cells of the heart muscle or the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
Stem cells could be described as cells which have not yet chosen a «career path»; and have the potential to become many different types of cell. There are several types of stem cells, some found in the bone marrow are already committed to the «career path» of immune cells but have not differentiated into specific types of immune cell. Others have the potential to become almost any cell in the body (such as cells in early embryonic tissue).
Some stem cells have already been used in medicine for many years. It is not only from embryos that stem cells can be gathered and used. There are three sources from which stem cells can be derived- embryonic, adult and umbilical cord.
FAQs
May harvesting and banking cord blood be intrusive or risky to a mother or baby? ()
Harvesting and banking cord blood is a fairly simple procedure that can be performed during vaginal or cesarian deliveries without interrupting ...
What is cord blood? ()
Quite simply, cord blood is the remaining blood from your baby"s umbilical cord and placenta after birth. Cord blood is loaded with our ...
Have cord blood ever being used to treat any disease? ()
Currently, cord blood is being used to treat malignant diseases such as Leukemia, Lymphoma, Neuroblastoma and numerous other types of cancer. It ...