Umbilical cord blood from newborn babies can be used to produce
embryonic-like cells that can potentially treat diseases and
debilitating conditions.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have been able to
differentiate cord blood cells into a type of lung cell. These cells
help to repair the airway in lungs after injury. This is a significant
discovery because until now the use of brain stem cells was the only way
to conduct viable research of this type. In the future, researchers
might be able to examine cord blood from babies with lung diseases such
as cystic fibrosis and develop better treatments. They will be able to
work with umbilical cord blood cells to better understand lung
development and to test new drugs.
Recent research indicates that mesenchymal stem cells obtained from
full-term umbilical cord blood can potentially be used to repair tissue
and develop bone and cartilage. As a result, patients can recover
faster, thus preventing kidney complications arising from tissue damage.
These findings bring new hope to those who suffer from acute kidney
failure, a life threatening condition. Acute renal failure occurs when
the kidneys are unable to get rid of waste and urine. Researchers in
Italy treated mice with acute renal failure using cord blood mesenchymal
stem cells and observed improved kidney functions. These preliminary
findings show that cord blood stem cell research offers great potential
in the treatment of acute kidney failure. However, more research is
required to determine if humans would benefit from mesenchymal stem
cells.
Lupus is a disease that affects more than 1.5 million Americans. It is
an inflammatory disease that affects the skin, joints and kidneys.
Lupus can be life threatening when it attacks major organs such as the
kidneys. Stem cell transplant is used to treat patients with severe
lupus. In a study of 50 patients who underwent stem cell transplant at
Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, 50 percent were free from the disease
after five years. The overall survival rate is 84%. Stem cell
transplantation offers a ray of hope to lupus sufferers who have failed
conventional treatments.
Cord blood stem cell research overcomes most of the problems associated
with embryonic stem cell research. The latter comes under much scrutiny
and debate. It is hard to obtain sufficient stem cells from embryos and
the right tissue type for a patient. Cord blood stem cells can be
produced and there is more likelihood of finding the right tissue type
given a birth rate of 100 million babies a year worldwide. Cord blood
stem cell breakthroughs will undoubtedly escalate further research to
find cure for what had previously been incurable diseases or
debilitating conditions.
Cord blood stem cell transplant is becoming increasingly important for
treatment of life-threatening diseases and debilitating conditions.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells
are less prone to rejection than bone marrow or peripheral blood stem
cells. Get daily updated resources on umbilical cord blood at
By Alvin Toh