Cord Blood vs Cord Tissue

A baby’s umbilical cord holds many vital stem cells that can be used in future medical treatments. The advancement in medical techniques has meant that, at birth, cord blood and cord tissue is duly harvested from the umbilical cord. The blood and tissue is then preserved and kept safe, ready to be used at later date if needed.

After your baby’s umbilical cord has been cut, the cord still retains a significant amount of blood. The cord blood contains a collection of important stem cells. It is these unique stem cells that can be harvested from the stored blood and used in medical treatment. Stem cells are a precious form of molecule; treatment with stem cells can help your body regenerate badly damaged cells and boost your immune system to its maximum. The stem cells collected from the cord blood are used to fight major medical illnesses, like leukaemia and cancer.

At the birth of your child you are offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to harvest this blood. it is a painless procedure that takes less than a few precious moments to accomplish. Once the cord has been cut and clamped, the blood is harvested into a container ready to be frozen. The procedure is very simply and, later in life, can be a life saving opportunity. If you choose not to have this procedure, the umbilical cord is discarded.

Cord tissue is just as important to harvest as that of the cord blood. Cord tissue contains a different kind of stem cell called mesenchymal stem cells. These stem cells are used in quite a different way than the stem cells found in cord blood. Current medical research have uncovered exciting developments using these kind of stem cells; currently they are used to help rehabilitate connective tissue. Much research is being done to assess the use of these stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injuries and strokes.

Cord tissue harvesting is not yet widely available. Use of mesenchymal stem cells is still in its infancy, its full medical potential yet to be unleashed. Currently, there is only one institution in the entire USA that provides the service of cord tissue harvesting. The procedure is much like its widely used cord blood recovery. A four to six inch cord segment will be cut from the umbilical cord and placed in the collection container; the sample is then rushed to the storage facility where it is instantly frozen to preserve the cells. The collection is a painless procedure for both mother and child.
The main difference between cord blood and cord tissue is the type of cells that are harvested. Cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells; cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells. Both sets of cells offer the chance for stem cell rejuvenation and both could provide you with life saving opportunities.

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Summary

1. Cord blood is harvested from the umbilical cord of a newly born baby. It contains important stem cells that could help in life threatening illnesses.
2. Stems cells harvested from cord blood are called hematopoietic. Stem cell treatment from cord blood is widely used in medical treatments of leukaemia and cancer.
3. Stem cells harvested from cord tissue are called mesenchymal stem cells.
4. Stem cell treatment using cord tissue cells is still in medical trial; the harvest procedure is not yet widely available and the use of the harvested cells is still in its infancy.
5. Cord blood and cord tissue recovery is a painless procedure and only takes a few moments.
6. Both sets of stem cells will provide you with life enhancing opportunities if you get seriously ill.

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