Stem Cells Therapy And Preservation

What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cell therapy is a unique and expanding prospect of medical science which has a high potential of curing many life threatening conditions especially in cases where an organ has to transplanted.

What are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are young cells that have the ability to grow into specific new cells and can substitute damaged cells in an organ or the whole organ as such. For instance, liver cell, nerve cells, lung cells etc. Thus they can be used to grow new organs or substitute non functioning organs in diseased conditions. The stem cells found in the umbilical cord of a newborn are useful tools in the treatment of several diseases in innumerous areas. Scientists are working towards a technology wherein stem cells can be used to renew whole organs inside the human body (in vivo).

How is it better than earlier procedures of treatment?
To date scientists have succeeded in generating parts of organs like lungs, live, etc and under lab conditions(in vitro). Since there is a huge supply of obtainable cord stem cells, the scope for advanced research and the eventual applications for therapeutic use is also more.

Compared to earlier procedures like bone marrow transplant, methods using umbilical cord stem cells have decreased chances of organ rejection. This is because, cord stem cells are young and do not have enough features like the grown cells that provoke the immune system of the donor to reject it.

Preservation of stem cells:
For the cord cells to be available at any time in future, an infant's own umbilical cord blood stem cells can be preserved right after birth. One's own cord cells are scientifically best for stem cells therapy. Most hospitals offer such preservation plans, for which parents need to register before birth of the baby. Soon after delivery of the infant, the umbilical cord blood is transferred to specialized preservation banks. Such cord cell preservation firms or banks then process it further and store them for the future, using special freezing techniques.

Research on Cord blood stem cells therapy is advancing rapidly. With its potential to cure life threatening medical conditions, this sphere of medical science is sure to lead to a superior system of therapy very soon.

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