January 26, 2011 By admin

Process Involved In Cord Blood Storage

Umbilical cord blood storage is relevant today as research has proven that cord blood, the blood in a baby’s umbilical cord is one of the best sources for adult stem cells. It is used for the re-population of the patient’s bone marrow after a session of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, as well as many other uses. It can be collected immediately after birth and stored for future potential use by the baby, matching siblings or any HLA matched unrelated patient. Prior to these discoveries, cord blood was discarded as biological waste.

Cord blood storage begins by collecting umbilical blood in blood collection bags that hold 250 ml of blood. Anticoagulant is added to the bag to prevent the blood from clotting. Once the blood is collected, it is sent to the blood bank center for processing, testing and storage. Research has shown that optimal cells can be recovered if the specimen is processed within 48 hours of collection. A cord blood company should be utilizing processing methods in which the cord blood is processed in a closed system. This system limits the bacterial contamination of the cord blood.

The first step of cord blood processing lies in the removal of red blood cells to insure stem cell viability. Each cord blood company utilizes a different method of processing steps ranging from chemical reagents, to centrifuging the specimen, to automation. The critical cells are then cryogenically stored in liquid or vapor nitrogen systems at a temperature of -190 degrees Celsius. These stored units should be equipped with electrical power generators in case of a power failure.

Collecting Cord Blood Stem Cells: Method

September 30, 2009 By admin

Collecting Cord Blood Stem Cells: Method

Stem cells are called progenitor cells i.e. cells whose division and differentiation help in formation of the mature adult cells. A broad classification includes stem cells of embryonic and adult types. Embryonic stem cells, as the name suggests, are present in a growing embryo; whereas adult stem cells are found in the bone marrow. Adult stem cells can also be found in the placenta and the blood found in the umbilical cord at the time of child birth. Collecting Cord Blood Stem Cells

As stem cell use has been successful in treating conditions including many cancers that were considered untreatable by other methods, there are scientific attempts to retain the stem cells viable for use in therapy.

Stem cells can be derived from the bone marrow but it has limited use because these stem cells are usually affected by the disorder from which the person is suffering. The alternative of obtaining the placenta and collecting cord blood stem cells can be done only when the child is born so many parents are resorting to preservation of stem cells at blood banks to facilitate future use if necessary.

Once the cord blood bank is identified and all initial procedures and paperwork is complete, the cord blood bank ships the client a cord blood collection kit, which the client brings with them at the time of delivery. Drawing of the mother’s blood prior to the delivery and collection of the cord blood stem cells is done by the team performing the delivery of the child.

The entire process of collecting the cord blood stem cells and placenta is very simple and takes just 5 minutes. This process involves obtaining the cord blood through a vein in the umbilical cord called the umbilical vein.

Cord blood banks have specialized kits prepared for collecting the cord blood stem cells and the placenta. The bag for collecting the cord blood is connected through a needle inserted into the umbilical vein. As the bag is lowered, gravity allows the flow of blood into the bag. A minimum of around 75ml of cord blood is necessary for obtaining good quantity of active stem cells that can be used. If blood flow into the bag arrests before the entire umbilical cord is emptied or before a minimal quantity is obtained, the needle is removed and reinserted into the umbilical vein to obtain the desired quantity.

It is important to take precautions in avoiding contamination of the collected blood. After collecting the cord blood stem cells and the placenta, the medical staff uses specialized containers to transport the cord blood to the cord blood bank where it is again disinfected, processed and after addition of a cryopreservative, cooled slowly to reach a temperature of around -190 degrees, and be stored until such time as it is needed for any therapy, either for the child or for any other family members suffering from a disorder that can be treated with the collected stem cells.