What Is A Cord Blood Stem Cell

Cord blood, also called placental blood, is the blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord following the birth of a child, after the umbilical cord is cut.

In most cases, this blood is disposed of with the placenta and umbilical cord along with what is called a cord blood stem cell. There is much controversy regarding the use of stem cell research as it pertains to the use of embryos. However, there have been new scientific breakthroughs in the field of cord blood stem cell research from living babies.

To investigate the usefulness in diabetes patients, team of South Korean researchers, has successfully grown pancreatic beta cells from umbilical cord blood stem cells of newborn babies. A cord blood stem cell is able to secrete insulin, the hormone necessary for treatment of diabetes.

The ability of a cord blood stem cell to differentiate, or change into other types of cells in the body is a relatively new discovery that holds great promise for improving the treatment of some of the most common diseases including diabetes. Similar breakthroughs have been achieved by scientists throughout the world.

Researchers in Dublin produced a ‘mini liver’ from cord blood stem cells. The technique will be developed to create a full-sized, fully functioning liver. Tissues from mini-livers will be used to test new drugs. Researchers are hopeful that within five years, pieces of the tissue can be used to repair damaged livers and within 15 years, actual liver transplants may be done using lab-grown livers made with help from a cord blood stem cell.

According to a senior investigator of the study, there is another major discovery that is crucial to understanding how a cord blood stem cell can restore brain function after injury such as in stroke. In a laboratory test, cord blood stem cells were transplanted into rodents who were induced with controlled strokes. The results: some limb function was restored and the sizes of brain lesions were reduced. The cord blood stem cell had developed into neuron-type cells, similar to those found in the brain.

Cord blood stem cell technology has been leaping forward. The breakthroughs in cord blood stem cell research can substantially speed up the development of treatments for life-threatening diseases and debilitating conditions. As well, cord blood stem cell research avoids much of the controversy and problems associated with embryonic stem cell research.