What are stem cells, exactly?
In medical terms, they're "undifferentiated" cells that have the ability to renew themselves. Stem cells are important for many reasons. In tissue that is still developing, stem cells give rise to multiple specialized cell types that can make up the heart, lung, skin, and other tissues. In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and brain, discrete populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost through normal wear and tear, injury or disease.
Research is showing that stem cells may one day act as a super repair kit for the body-enabling healthy tissues to grow replacement organs, or even cure cancer.
What is cord blood?
Bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood constitute the three primary sources of stem cells. Cord blood, which, until recently, was discarded along with the umbilical cord and placenta, is non-controversial and provides an extremely rich source of certain types of stem cells. For umbilical cord blood, there is a 15-minute window of opportunity to collect the newborn's cord blood and safely cryopreserve it for "biological insurance." With over 8,000 documented life-saving transplants to date using cord blood stem cells, it's easy to see why more and more parents are deciding to bank their babies' umbilical cord blood.
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