What Are Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells?
Related News: Cord Blood Stem Cells, Stem Cell DefinitionsSimply, umbilical cord blood is the blood and tissues left over during the removal of the umbilical cord of new born babies.
Blood retrieved from the umbilical cord after birth is a rich source of stem cells.
Stem cells being the unspecialized blood cells that produce all other a number of other types of cells, include blood-clotting platelets and red and white blood cells.
Similar to bone marrow that is currently donated, umbilical cord blood is being researched for treament of various disorders and diseases that affect the blood and immune system, leukemia and certain cancers, and some inherited disorders of body chemistry. Thusfar, more than 45 disorders have been found that can be treated with stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
Currently, there are MANY commercial companies that are just starting to provide services to parents to store their newborn baby’s cord blood.
This practice is getting support at the state and national levels all over the world.
See Also:
Call On US House Legislators to Pass the Cord Blood Stem Cell Act of 2005 (H.R. 596)
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Posted on February 21, 2005 03:37 PM