My child cord blood

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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


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My child cord blood by Tatyana Leonov - Issuu