Stem cells are found to be in various sources like the bone marrow, embryonic tissue, amniotic fluid or umbilical cord blood. Stem cells are classified according to the source from which they are obtained.
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Stem cells are found in small numbers in adult tissue such as brain, bone marrow, peripheral blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, liver and umbilical cord blood. These cells are also called 'adult stem cells', even though the term 'adult' is incorrect as stem cells also occur in babies and children. The primary role of stem cells in the body is to maintain and repair the tissues in which they are found, as they are multipotent in nature.
Bone Marrow - Of all adult tissue, the bone marrow is an extremely rich source of somatic stem cells. Drawn from the spongy tissue found in the center of bones, the main function of these stem cells is to make blood cells that circulate in our bodies and fight infection. In stem cell therapy, bone marrow was the earliest source of stem cells due to its rich supply. |
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| Umbilical Cord - The other rich source of stem cells is the blood left over in the umbilical cord and placenta of a newborn child. Till recently, this blood was (and continues to be) often discarded as medical waste. However, now that umbilical cord blood is known to be a rich source of stem cells, more people are choosing to bank these cells for its potential future use. |
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Exciting new research on a new type of stem cell called “mesenchymal stem cell” has now enhanced the scope of diseases that can potentially be treated with stem cell therapy.
Mesenchymal stem cells are now at the forefront of cellular therapy especially for a variety of lifestyle diseases with over 100 clinical trials under way to evaluate their safety and efficacy. In fact, some trials evaluating the utility of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells are now in late phase III clinical trials, and with the FDA according “fast-track” approval status for the same, the benefits of this therapy should soon reach out to everyone.
It has now been found that these remarkable mesenchymal stem cells are also found in the connective tissue of the umbilical cord, and that these stem cells that can be easily collected, processed and cryo-preserved for potential cellular therapies that may emerge in the future. These umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are a perfect match for your baby, and being fetal in nature appears to be better than similar mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow. These umbilical cord tissue stem cells have been shown to multiply rapidly and differentiate into many other types of stem cells such as neural, cardiac, bone, fat, cartilage, and possibly others.
Hence preserving the cord tissue stem cells along with cord blood stem cells offer a complete cover for the child from a wide range of blood related and tissue degenerative ailments. Harvesting the stem cells at the time of birth reduces the retrieval time of these mesenchymal stem cells by 6–8 weeks. Also the exact quantity and viability of the mesenchymal stem cells is known at the time of storage, which helps the physicians make a better decision when planning for a transplant.
Mesenchymal stem cells: Potential therapeutic applications
a) Cardiac Arrhythmia
b) Crohn's Disease
c) Graft vs Host Disease
d) Osteoarthritis
e) Critical Limb Ischemia
f) Multiple Sclerosis
g) Diabetes (Type 1)
h) Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome |
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