Abstract
The use of umbilical cord blood as an alternative to bone marrow as a source of haematopoietic stem cells for the treatment of certain diseases has been on an increase since the first transplantation of umbilical cord-derived stem cells in 1988. In this paper, 6 of the latest case studies about the use of such stem cells have been discussed and are used as evidence to confirm the potential use of the umbilical cord as a source of haematopoietic stem cells for transplantation as treatment to various diseases. The debate over whether umbilical cord blood should be stored and why public banking facilities are preferred over those that are private have also been discussed in this paper.
Highlights
Stem cells are a type of cells which have the ability to self-renew and undergo lineage differentiation [1]
Apart from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been isolated from the umbilical cord blood by various scientists [8]-[13], some studies have failed to show their presence in appreciable amounts [14] [15] [16]
Umbilical cord stem cells are more tolerant of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) mismatches than those derived from the bone marrow, leading to a lower rate of graft-versus-host disease being observed when umbilical cord stem cells are used for transplantation [18]
Summary
Stem cells are a type of cells which have the ability to self-renew and undergo lineage differentiation [1]. The ability of stem cells to give rise to one or more differentiated cell types is known as developmental plasticity [2]. Once considered a waste product, the umbilical cord, was found to be a source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in 1974 [7]. Apart from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been isolated from the umbilical cord blood by various scientists [8]-[13], some studies have failed to show their presence in appreciable amounts [14] [15] [16]
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