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What is Cord Blood
Before a baby is born, the baby is connected to the mother by the umbilical cord and placenta. They allow nutrients to flow from the mother into the baby. After a baby is born the umbilical cord is cut and the baby is detached from the mother. The remaining umbilical cord and placenta, called the afterbirth, is expelled from the mother’s body minutes after the baby is born.
Usually the doctors and nurses throw it away. However, there is blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta, and this blood can be collected and used to help patients with various medical conditions. It is called ‘cord blood’.
Some years ago scientists learned that cord blood contains blood-making cells just like bone marrow, and that these cells can be used for transplantation. They also developed ways to process cord blood, freeze it, store it for a period of time, thaw it, and then use the cells to transplant a patient. With this information doctors have successfully used cord blood to transplant sickle cell patients, and other types of patients.
The cord blood is collected immediately after the baby has been born, the cord cut and clamped, and the placenta delivered.
Once the placenta is delivered it is placed in a basin with a clamp or hemostat on the cut end of the cord. The basin is immediately handed to the collector who brings it to the collection station. (It is very important to obtain the cord blood from the cord/placenta within minutes of delivery.) The collection station is a clean area either in the labor room or very close to it. The placenta is placed in the collection stand, which allows the umbilical cord to hang freely beneath it. The collection specialist cleans the surface of the umbilical cord and inserts a needle attached to a collection bag into the umbilical vein of the cord. The blood drains into the bag and mixes with a solution that keeps the blood from clotting. Once the cord and placenta are drained the needle is removed from the cord, the bag’s tubing is sealed and cut, and the needles are disposed of properly.
Various tests are performed on the cord blood once it is collected. The cord blood is tested to find out which kind of hemoglobin it contains.It is tested for group and type, and for infectious diseases. Other testing performed on the cord blood is related to the quality of the sample, which includes anaerobic and aerobic cultures, nucleated cell count, cell viability, CD34 cell number and CFU-GM.
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List of Cord Blood Stock Companies
The following is a list of some of the publicly traded stock companies that are involved in the cord blood business, along with their stock symbols (some of the symbols may require an extention such as .OB or .PK depending on the quote service that you use.
Aastrom Biosciences Inc. ASTM
Develops patient-specific products for the repair or regeneration of human tissues, using proprietary adult stem cell technology.
AnorMED AOM.TO
Developer of MOZOBIL (AMD3100), a first in class stem cell mobilizer, from the compassionate use protocol (CUP) in cancer patients requiring a stem cell transplant.
AVI Biopharma AVII
A biopharmaceutical company developing drugs to treat life-threatening diseases using third-generation antisense technology.
BrainStorm Cell BCLI
Developer of stem cell therapeutic products based on breakthrough technologies, including their core technology, NurOwn™.
Cord Blood America Inc. CBAI
Provides collection, testing, processing, and preservation services of the blood of umbilical cords.
CRYO-CELL CCEL
The world's oldest & largest family cord blood stem cell bank, for expectant parents for the private collection, processing & cryopreservation of their newborn's non-controversial U-Cord® stem cells.
Cytori Therapeutics XMPA.F
Developes proprietary cell-based therapeutics utilizing adult stem and regenerative cells derived from adipose tissue, also known as fat, and developed developed its proprietary Celution(TM) System to isolate and concentrate a patient's own stem and regenerative cells in about an hour.
Geron GERN
Developes therapeutic products for oncology that target telomerase; pharmaceuticals that activate telomerase in tissues impacted by senescence, injury or degenerative disease; and cell-based therapies derived from its human embryonic stem cell platform for applications in multiple chronic diseases.
MultiCell MCET
Developer of therapeutic products, an adult stem cell company and a supplier of immortalized human cell lines for drug discovery applications.
PharmaFrontiers PFTR
Develops autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, congestive heart failure, and diabetes, focusing on autologous cellular therapy applications based on its proprietary stem cell and T-cell vaccination technologies
Stem Cell Thera SSS.V
A biotechnology company focused on the development of its technology platform and intellectual property to selectively induce a patient's own stem cells to proliferate in the brain.
Stem Cells STEM
Developer of stem cell therapeutics to treat damage to or degeneration of major organ systems such as the central nervous system, liver and pancreas.
ThermoGenesis KOOL
Provides Healthcare professionals with the means to micro-manufacture potentially life-saving and life-enhancing products from individual units of blood.
ViaCell VIAC
Developer of a pipeline of proprietary stem cell product candidates intended to address cancer, cardiac disease, and diabetes, such as CB001, its lead cord blood derived stem cell therapy product, which is being developed for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients affected by a variety of cancers.
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Books about Cord Blood, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy
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Cord Blood Organizations
Cord Blood Donor
Foundation
Cord Blood Forum
Cord Blood Registry
Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program
National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Cord Blood
Program
Parent's
Guide To Cord Blood Banks
Sibling
Donor Cord Blood Program
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