BANGALORE: Stem cells from the umbilical cord are known as ‘neo natal’ stem cells. Stem cells are human body’s master cells that have the ability to grow into any one of the body’s more than 200 cell types. Stem cells retain the ability to divide throughout life and give rise to cells that can become highly specialised and take the place of cells that die or are lost.Increasing numbers of medical practitioners across the globe now prefer stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood over the conventional source – bone marrow. Other sources include embryonic stem cells, peripheral blood stem cells (fat, brain, nose, skin, dental pulp, blood), cord blood stem cells and cord tissue stem cells.City Express catches up with Dr Preeti Sharma, General Manager – Medical Affairs, Cryo-Save(India) Pvt Ltd, who explains in detail about stem cell banking and its therapeutic applications.What is umbilical cord stem cell banking?It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save your baby’s cord blood stem cells for potential medical uses in future. Having cord blood saved can be life saving or life changing for your baby, baby’s siblings, parents, grandparents or other family members and anyone with a suitable HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen).What is the procedure involved?Collecting cord blood is a simple, safe, and painless procedure that usually takes less than ten minutes and happens immediately after birth. After the umbilical cord has been cut, the remaining blood in the cord is collected. A part of the umbilical cord is also collected.The cord blood and cord tissue are then transported to the laboratory and frozen in cryogenic storage tanks for long-term preservation. If you do not save your baby’s cord blood, it will be discarded after birth.Why is it being encouraged and why should one go for it?Umbilical cord stem cells are called naive stem cells. Cord blood is now being used increasingly as an alternative source of stem cells to bone marrow for therapeutic applications. The reasons to store stem cells are as follows:A stem cell donor may not be available when needed.A patient’s own stem cells may be technically difficult to harvest or a patient’s own cells could become contaminated by disease. The stem cells are protected from viral contamination and from radiation damage. Cells are also immortalised for use of other family members.Some future applications of stem cell therapy may require urgent administration of stem cells (neural and cardiac tissue damage) or benefit from the use of young stem cells (which do not age while being stored).Where does India stand in terms of research and popularity of stem cell banking?In India, DCGI (Drug controller of India) has given permission for conducting stem cells trials for diseases such as type II diabetes mellitus, alcoholic liver cirrhosis, osteoarthritis and gradual destruction of lung tissue to a research company.The diseases which are under clinical trials for which cord blood can be useful are cerebral palsy traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, heart disease, peripheral artery disease, type I and type II diabetes, orthopaedic applications, auto-immune disorders, ophthalmologic applications, solid tumours, liver disease, musculo-skeletal and burns. Researchers are exploring ways of using stem cells to produce cells that could replace the dead ones. This is basically called as regenerative therapy.Much research is also currently focused on using new heart muscle cells to help heart failure patients, and on producing new brain cells to treat people with Parkinson or Alzheimer diseases.Is there some amount which can be saved at one time? Is it true that the stem cells procured once from the cord can be used only once for a particular disease? Please explain in detail.We have a dual storage system in which we store 25 ml of stem cells. Stem cells procured from the cord blood can be used only once.
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