Did you know that stem cell preservation can secure the health of not only you, but also your children and even your parents? Stem cell has been a growing industry and day by day new clinical trials are done to cure life threatening diseases. So let's dig deep to find out how stem cell preservation can help your family from various diseases
1. What is a stem cell
Did you know that stem cells are a pretty cool type of cells? They have two important abilities. Firstly, they can make more cells like themselves through a process called self-renewal. Secondly, they can change into other cells that do different things, known as differentiation.
These amazing stem cells can be found in almost every part of the body and play an essential role in keeping the tissues healthy and repairing them after any injury.Depending on where they are in the body, they can develop into different types of tissues, such as brain cells, heart muscle cells, bone cells, and more.
There are different types of stem cells, with embryonic stem cells being the most versatile as they can become all the cells of the developing fetus. Most stem cells in the body help maintain and repair the tissues and organs they reside in. It's pretty incredible that no other cell in the body can generate new cell types like stem cells can!
2. What type of samples are taken in stem cell preservation
Stem
cell preservation is a process of collecting and storing stem cells for
potential use in future medical treatments. There are two types of samples that
can be taken for stem cell preservation - cord blood and cord tissue. Cord
blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth, while
cord tissue is the material surrounding the vessels of the umbilical cord.
Cord blood is typically collected using a surgical needle and is about 80-120 milliliters in volume. It has been used in humans for over 25 years and is FDA-approved for regular treatments. Cord blood stem cells are particularly useful in treating a variety of conditions such as leukemias, lymphomas, anemias, and metabolic disorders. In addition, cord blood is currently undergoing clinical trials for more advanced conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, diabetes, eczema, and stroke.
On the other hand, cord tissue contains stem cells that form a person's nervous system, organs, tissues, and more. These stem cells are known as mesenchymal stem cells and are being used in clinical trials to treat various diseases and injuries such as heart and kidney disease, ALS, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, wound healing, and sports injuries. The outcomes of these clinical trials are promising, indicating that cord tissue stem cells could have a significant impact on the future of medical treatments.
3. What is HLA compatibility
HLAs are a crucial factor that can determine the success of a transplant. These proteins help our immune system differentiate between our own cells and foreign ones, enabling it to respond to the latter. With HLAs coming from genes inherited from both parents, having a good match is essential for successful transplantation.
Cord blood transplantations require at least three or four out of six HLA markers to match, while bone marrow transplantations require a six-out-of-six match. For donors and immediate relatives, a haploidentical transplant can be done with only a 50% match. The better the HLA match, the higher the chances of a successful outcome, and the lower the severity of Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) symptoms.
GvHD is a potential risk when the donor is not a perfect match, and its symptoms can be severe and life-threatening. HLA matching is therefore a crucial step in reducing the risk of GvHD and ensuring a successful transplant.
4. How stem cells from your newborn can be helpful to you as well as your parents
Babies' cord blood is a 100% match for them, making it the preferred choice for autologous transplants or infusion. Siblings, on the other hand, have a 75% chance of being a perfect or partial match. Babies receive half of their HLA markers from each parent, making their cord blood a possible 50% match for either parent. In rare cases where the parents share HLA markers, the match could exceed 50%, allowing for a haploidentical transplant using the baby's cord blood.
Half-siblings share only half of their HLA markers from one parent, making them a half-match for a transplant. However, as we move away from the immediate family, the compatibility of a child's cord blood decreases. Although blood-related aunts, uncles, and grandparents may potentially have some degree of compatibility, it may not be enough for transplantations. This is particularly true since genetic recombination is a crucial factor in determining which genes are inherited.
Although grandparents only share 25% of their DNA with their grandchild, using their stem cells for transplants is still preferable over using stem cells from an unrelated donor due to the increased chance of HLA matching based on halotype sharing between grandchild and grandparents.
Conclusion
With over 80 diseases currently being treated with cord blood stem cells, and hundreds more applications in clinical trials, cord blood is an amazing resource that could really make a difference. Plus, it's more readily available and with a lower risk of complications than other sources, making it a great option for family members in need of a transplant quickly. And the best part? The more children you bank for, the greater the likelihood of finding a match within your own family.
Resources -
1. Cryocell
2. Alphacord
3. Miracle cord