It is estimated that over 10,000 people have been treated with cord blood cells since 1972. Now recognised as a lifesaving treatment, the list of things you can do with them is amazing abitha Ellem is one of over 600
and healthy ones as they have great potential
rise to specialised cell types of the tissue or
children who have been treated
to treat diseases and find cures for them.
organ they are located in. A number of adult
by umbilical cord blood and bone
Scientists are constantly trying to find new
stem cell therapies already exist; particularly
marrow transplants at the Sydney Children’s
sources of stem cells. ‘The discovery of stem
bone marrow transplants that are used to
Hospital at Randwick. When Tabitha was two,
cells was one of the most amazing breakthroughs
treat leukaemia. However adult stem cells are
she was diagnosed with Hurler’s Syndrome –
in the history of medicine,’ explains Dr Colin
believed to be more limited in the type of cells
a very rare metabolic storage disorder where
McGuckin, the Director of Cell Therapy Research
they can generate when compared to embryonic
sufferers lack an important enzyme which
Institute in Lyon, France. ‘But the real promise
and cord blood stem cells.
results in damage to soft tissue cells in the
of stem cells is to help repair your own body,
heart, brain, liver, eyes and bones. Without
something no-one could ever have imagined
Future uses
a transplant, most will die by the age of 10.
only 20 years ago. Today we see new treatments
Cord blood cells are a powerful resource,
Tabitha’s diseased white blood cells with
appearing every year. Stem cells are not only
as Drs McGuckin and Nicolas Forraz wrote in
the missing enzyme were replaced with new
about giving a cure, but also about giving a
their chapter Cord Blood Stem Cells – Potentials
healthy cells from a cord blood transplant,
better quality of life.’
And Realities for the book, Advances In Tissue
preventing further damage being done.
Engineering (Imperial College Press, $304.65)
Types of stem cells
edited by Julia Polak, Sakis Mantalaris and
been treated with cord blood cells for over 80
Stem cells fall into three categories:
Sian E Harding: With approximately 130 million
different clinical conditions since 1972. Cord
1 Embryonic stem cells These cells are
babies born worldwide every year, umbilical cord
blood can be used to treat bone marrow disorders,
derived from very young embryos and their
blood represents perhaps the largest potential
cancers, immune system disorders, blood
potentially unlimited capacity to transform into
source of stem cells for regenerative medicine.
It is estimated that over 10,000 people have
‘Stem cells are not only about giving a cure, but about giving a better quality of life’
any of the estimated 210 cell types
Cord blood stem cells are used clinically, mostly to
found in the body makes them the
support patients suffering from haematological
most “valuable” cell type. They can
and immunological diseases but they also provide
be used for almost anything. There
emerging therapeutic solutions for limited cases of
is, however, controversy around them
type-1 diabetes or infant cerebral injuries.
– extraction of embryonic stem cells
Medical researchers are therefore constantly
destroys the embryo and is therefore
working on cures and trying to find more and
shunned by opponents of abortion.
more uses for this powerful source.
2 Cord blood stem cells Cord blood is the blood that remains
In a 2007 study, researchers reported that they engineered adult stem cells derived from
in the umbilical cord and placenta after the
cord blood to produce insulin. This finding
list of treatable diseases is always increasing,
cord is cut in birth. It’s a valuable source of stem
may some day help to cure type-1 diabetes
with scientists finding new uses all the time.
cells, which are genetically unique to the baby
by allowing people to grow their own insulin-
and the babies’ family. Although embryonic
producing cells.
What are cord blood stem cells?
stem cells are more versatile, cord blood cells have the potential to form into many kinds of
to grow heart valves. According to the March
For those who, like me, don’t know much about
cells. Cord blood stem cells are eight to 10 times
of Dimes – a long-established US health charity
them, cord blood stem cells are one of three
more proliferative than adult stem cells.
whose mission is to improve the health of babies
types of stem cells. Stem cells are unspecialised
3 Adult stem cells Adult stem cells are
– heart defects are among the most common
cells that give rise to specialised cells in the body.
undifferentiated cells found in tissues or organs.
birth defects and leading cause of birth-related
They can replace diseased or bad cells with new
They can produce more stem cells and also give
deaths. When these valves are faulty they
1
my child
Other recent research used cord blood cells
Photography PhotoLibrary
disorders, metabolic conditions and more. The