What are Bone Marrow and Blood Stem Cells?
Bone marrow is the tissue found inside bones that produces blood stem cells. These blood stem cells are the source of circulating red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that carry oxygen, fight infection and help control bleeding. Any disease that attacks the bone marrow can eliminate the body’s ability to nourish and protect itself. Why Register to Donate Bone Marrow or Blood Stem Cells? When you become a donor through the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) (www.marrow.org), you are participating in an effort to give patients with leukemia and other life-threatening blood diseases a second chance at life. Every year, thousands of adults and children need a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant — a procedure which may be their only chance for survival. Although some patients have a genetically matched family member who can donate, about 70 percent do not. These patients’ lives depend on finding an unrelated individual with a compatible tissue type — often within thei
Related Questions
- What is the difference between stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood and those derived from bone marrow and fat tissue?
- Will stem cells in cord blood, amniotic fluid, bone marrow and peripheral blood soon be unnecessary in transplantation?
- What is the difference between cord blood stem cells, embryonic stem cells, and bone marrow stem cells?
