How is the cord blood stored?
Cryo-Cell Cord Blood Bank currently stores the cord blood cells in a compartmentalized cryobag. The bag includes a 20ml and 5ml sample, three segments for testing and are over-wrapped for added protection. A technique called “controlled-rate freezing” is used to prepare the cells for long-term storage. Then, the bag is housed in a protective cassette and placed in liquid nitrogen dewars for cryogenic preservation. Our storage conditions are monitored for security and temperature. We only store blood stem cells at our facilities.
Newborn Blood Banking stores the whole blood in bags. There are fewer steps involved when handling bags. A 1cc sample is stored for future testing purposes so that the entire blood sample does not need to be defrosted. The cord blood is labeled with three identifying markers and then slowly frozen at a controlled rate in a programmable liquid nitrogen freezer. It is then immersed in liquid nitrogen where it is kept at a constant temperature of -196 degrees Celsius and stored in a monitored cryogenic freezer. The freezer requires no electrical power because the liquid nitrogen freezes the blood; therefore, power outages pose no problem.
