What Are the Different Uses of Cord Blood Cells?
Cord blood cells, which are stem cells removed from the umbilical cord and placenta at birth, have several uses in health care. In some cases, cord blood cells can be used to treat many diseases of the blood, bone marrow, metabolic system and immune system, as well as some types of cancer. Cord blood can either be banked for future use by family members, donated for use by other people or donated for research. The baby from whom the donated blood came might be able to use it, but many genetic diseases must be treated with blood from another person. Cord blood cells help build and repair tissue cells when transplanted. There is less risk of a negative reaction when cord blood is used, compared with bone marrow. It is also easier to find a good match with cord blood than with with bone marrow. Bone marrow donors and recipients must be a very close match, but cord blood donors and recipients don’t need to be as close.
