I don't know much about this so I started doing a little research. Here's some info I found from a website public cord blood bank
Are cord blood stem cells different than other types of stem cells?
Yes. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are the "youngest," safely available stem cells and they are the product of another miracle - a live birth. Freezing these cells essentially stops the clock and prevents aging and damage that may occur to the cells later in life. Another source of stem cells, embryonic stem cells, has been at the heart of heated debate. Currently, embryonic stem cells are not being used to treat humans. A third category of stem cells is adult stem cells, such as those found in bone marrow. Adult stem cells serve very specialized roles in children and adults and are not as proliferative as those found in cord blood.
What is cord blood?
Cord blood, which is also called "placental blood," is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following birth and after the cord is cut. Cord blood is routinely discarded with the placenta and umbilical cord. Your baby's umbilical cord blood is a valuable source of stem cells, which are genetically unique to your baby and family.
What are stem cells and how are they used?
Stem cells are the body's "master" cells because they create all other tissues, organs, and systems in the body. The stem cells found in cord blood are the building blocks of your blood and immune system and most readily replicate into:
Red Blood Cells - which carry oxygen to all the cells in the body,
White Blood Cells - which fight infection, and
Platelets - which aid in clotting in the event of injury.
There are three sources where stem cells are commonly found, they are:
Bone Marrow,
Peripheral Blood (the blood that circulates through your body), and
Umbilical Cord Blood.
Another website I found is: http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org/ Apparently these cells can also be used for transplants in people other than the donor. It's less successful than if it were the donor themselves, but still available. I thought this was all very interesting information. Have any of you heard about this or have other links to this info?
3 comments:
Being a type I diabetic, I am excited about stem cell research. I hope that someday soon I can be cured of this disease.
We received a lot of brochures and information about cord blood banking from the doctor's office before our daughter was born. I actually looked into it because I think it's great and could be beneficial to have in the future. However, the cost is steep. I think the initial cost was around $2,500 and there was an annual renewal fee thereafter.
So, let's say you're okay with the money and you pay for your child's stem cells to be cryogenically frozen. And, you continue to pay the annual fee every year until your child turns 18. What do you do at 18? Hey son, forget about car payments, you need to make your monthly stem cell payment. What 20 or even 30 year old would do that?
That was the decision maker for me. Unless you want to pay the freezer bill on your child's stem cells until you die, then be prepared for your child's decision to let them melt away.
I just heard on the tom sullivan show yesterday that they were having more luck with adult stem cells so that was a relief to me. Did you see Joni Erikson Tada on Larry King like 3 yrs ago?
Anyway, I read down because I have been missing being over here. I think that lady was a freak! But maybe she is used to it like you found out. I will have to check inot that book. Bailey is fianlly starting to climb inot my lap to read and letting us read each page. She doesn't want to be in my lap all the time anymore and I keep thinking of how yu said Nate was.
Think of you often!!
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