Lifeline Cord Blood

We are at a truly revolutionary time in health and medicine. The introduction of stem cell technology represents innovation on the same level as the development of antibiotics or the invention of modern imaging (MRIs, etc.). Stem cells are already changing the way medicine is delivered, increasing lifespans and saving countless lives.

The confusion surrounding stem cells starts at the root, with the most basic but difficult-to-answer question, "What is a stem cell?" Get answers to this and other questions related to stem cell research and therapies.

We are at the cusp of a stem cell revolution.
Understanding and harnessing these unique cells may unlock breakthroughs in longevity and therapeutic solutions to all kinds of chronic diseases and regenerative opportunities.

In this week’s “TechKnow,” we meet baby Grace, who is part of an innovative FDA study that uses her umbilical cord blood—banked after her birth—to help treat hydrocephalus, a condition that causes swelling of the brain. It’s part of a movement towards “regenerative medicine” that sounds like sci-fi but is grounded in decades of research.

Approximately 10,000 Asmerican children under age 15 are expected to receive a cancer diagnosis this year. They'll have to fight the disease with everything they've got, along with their families, friends, doctors and other supporters. (Photo: The Journal News) Buy Photo

What is cord blood banking? What cord blood stem cell medicine is being researched? Listen in as leading pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Baumgartner discusses the future potential of regenerative medicine...

Below I will address 3 topics: 

1. What is the structure of the umbilical cord and what cells can be harvested?
2. What cells are being used in current cell therapies employing umbilical cord tissue?
3. What are the diseases treated with umbilical cord cells today?

> By Dr Menaka Hariharan | 08 January 2021

Tampa, FL (July 8, 2010) – The University of South Florida's Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair has been granted a patent for a cell transplantation procedure combining human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) cells and a sugar-alcohol compound called "mannitol" that may make a big difference in treating life-threatening neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke, among others.

Often on the Stem Cellar we write about work that is in a clinical trial. But getting research to that stage takes years and years of dedicated work. Over the next few months we are going to profile some of the scientists we fund who are doing Discovery, or early stage research, to highlight the importance of this work in developing the treatments that could ultimately save lives.
This first profile is by Pat Olson, Ph.D., CIRM’s Vice President of Discovery & Translation

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - When Katie Murphy was born, her parents, Paul and Amy didn't see any problems.

"We thought everything was normal. About six to nine months later we noticed Katie not being able to sit up," said Paul.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - When Katie Murphy was born, her parents, Paul and Amy didn't see any problems. "We thought everything was normal. About six to nine months later we noticed Katie not being able to sit up," said Paul. Doctors told the Scottsdale family Katie wasn't strong enough, her muscles didn't work right. "It's just low muscle tone, they call it Hypotonia," said Amy.

We show that WJ has in vitro osteogenic differentiation capacity and in vivo, enhances bone growth in animal cleft palate models indicating its potential use as a natural tissue engineering construct for regenerative clinical applications. The success of this approach would represent a paradigm shift in the treatment of CLP patients by reducing or eliminating the need for subsequent bone grafting.

We have performed multiple pre-clinical studies that demonstrate that this approach improves healing of cleft palate defects in animals. These are being repeated in larger animals as required by the FDA prior to translating this approach to treat children with cleft lip and palate.  Once these final components are completed, we anticipate that clinical trials should begin within the next 12-18 months. 

ΠΗΓΗ: Reuters

Επιστήμονες στο πανεπιστήμιο του Cambridge της Μεγάλης Βρετανίας δημοσίευσαν τα αποτελέσματα έρευνάς τους στο Journal of Clinical Investigation την Τετάρτη 25/8. Στο δημοσίευμα, ανέφεραν πως βρήκαν ένα τρόπο για να αποφύγουν τις πολιτικές και ηθικές συζητήσεις για τα εμβρυϊκά βλαστικά κύτταρα, οι οποίες παρεμποδίζουν σχετικές ιατρικές εργασίες στις ΗΠΑ...

Αμερικανοί επιστήμονες κατάφεραν για πρώτη φορά να δημιουργήσουν μικροσκοπικό ανθρώπινο συκώτι στο εργαστήριο με τη βοήθεια βλαστικών κυττάρων, ένα επίτευγμα στον τομέα της αναγεννητικής ιατρικής, το οποίο δίνει ελπίδες για περισσότερες και εξατομικευμένες («κατά παραγγελία») μεταμοσχεύσεις οργάνων στο μέλλον, ενώ παράλληλα προσφέρει νέες δυνατότητες πειραμάτων για την ανάπτυξη καλύτερων φαρμάκων για τις παθήσεις του ήπατος.