India's first private cord blood stem cell
bank, 'Lifecell' has been launched in Chennai and recently set up in Hyderabad
and Bangalore and all major cities.
But it is not only from embryos that stem cells
can be gathered and used. There are three sources from which stem cells can be
derived- embryonic, adult and umbilical cord.
Lifesaving umbilical cord stem cells.
The umbilical cord,
connecting the foetus with the mother is cut at the time of delivery and
discarded. Cord blood (the remaining blood in the umbilical cord) is full of
'stem cells' which is the origin of the body's immune and blood system.
Based on this and other successful transplants, doctors and medical researchers
began to collect, freeze and store cord blood units at cord banks throughout
the world to treat several ailments and save lives.
Research is also going
on to treat diseases like stroke, Alzheimer's, multiplesclerosis, lupus and
diabetes by transplanting cord blood stem cells.
A bank
for cord blood stem cells.
Cord stem cell
preservation consists of collecting the 'leftover' umbilical cord blood from
the placenta and umbilical cord after the baby is delivered and the cord is
cut.
This blood is sent to a bank where it is processed and preserved by freezing
them in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -195 degree celsius.
Many clinical studies
showed that unrelated cord blood transplantation is safe and is an acceptable
alternative to bone marrow transplantation for many patients. However, the
studies also found that, as with bone marrow transplants, patients who receive
cord blood from siblings or related donors generally have higher survival rates
than those who receive cord blood from unrelated donors.
Researchers say that
collecting and preserving a baby's cord blood stem cells would be a security
blanket for the baby and his family members. In fact, it is estimated that the
probability of a need for cord blood stem cells arising within a family is as
high as 1/1,500.
Cord stem cell bank in India.
In this backdrop,
the launch of a cord stem cell private bank in India assumes great
significance. According to Dr Saranya, medical director of 'Lifecell', parents
who are expecting a baby can register with the organisation by paying a onetime
fee of Rs 59,900.
The family can
preserve the cord blood cells from the umbilical cord for 21 years at the
private bank, 'Lifecell'. Alternatively, they can pay a sum of Rs 29,000 and a
yearly fee of Rs 2,900 for storing the cells for 21 years.
Benefits and advantages of Stem Cell storage.
- Protection for the entire family - Cord blood stem cells are not just for your
baby - but are an investment for the whole family. A genetically unique resource, your baby's stem cells have a
25% probability of being a perfect match for a sibling - should he or she ever
need a stem cell transplant. Clinical studies have also proven that stem cell
transplants are twice as successful when the stem cells come from a family
member rather than from a non-relative.
- A
resource kept ready -
When you bank your baby's cord blood stem cells with a private bank, you can
enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that your baby's stem cells are available-
should the need ever arise.
- A once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to preserve a biological resource that could be a
lifesaver for your child or other family members.
- A life-saving alternative to
bone marrow transplants. Doctors have increasingly turned to cord blood stem
cells as there is a lower probability of graft vs. host disease (GVHD) and a
greater likelihood of finding an appropriate tissue type match.
- Cord blood is easy to retrieve
and is readily available whenever it is needed, unlike bone
marrow for example, where it is harder to find a donor matching your HLA type.
- There are many benefits in storing stem cells harvested from cord or adult peripheral (circulating) blood. Results from both animal studies and early human clinical trials indicate that they have significant capabilities for growth, repair, and regeneration of damaged cells and tissues in the body. Within the last decade alone, science has revealed many benefits of adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells, resulting from research done in both animal studies and early human clinical trials. This stem cell research indicates that they have significant capabilities for growth, repair, and regeneration of damaged cells and tissues in the body.
If the public cord blood stem cell bank becomes a reality, it would save the lives of many patients in India.
(Cost mentioned is
approximate cost calculated at the time of Bank establishment)
Source
: http://www.stemcellsbank.ro ,http://www.assureimmune.com, http://www.lifecellinternational.com & Rediff.com