Cord Blood Research Paper

Jennifer Hickey states that “Stem cells are the basis for every type of cell in the body” (¼). Since stem cells are the basis of all cells, then these cells can be implanted into someone's body who has a certain disease or disorder. Assuming that a person has Alzheimer's, then they are losing brain cells that cannot be replaced, unless stem cells are placed in their body. If stem cells were implanted into this person’s brain, those stem cells can become nerve cells and repair the brain. Nevertheless, if stem cells from embryos are grown in the wrong environment, they can cause cancer. Cells acquired from umbilical cord blood do not show any of these problems (“Stem”

Over the last several decades, the field of medical technology and research has become increasingly advanced. Just read up on any of the most recent innovations; what may have once been considered science fiction is rapidly becoming reality. Some of the most publicized scientific discoveries are related to stem cells, as the controversial research and use of certain types of these cells is continuously being debated among politicians, scientists, and religious leaders. However, it is believed that a specific type of stem cell, an umbilical cord blood stem cell, may be used to treat a number of diseases, disorders, or injuries devoid of ethical controversy. Banks for storing cord blood exist in countries all over the world and its use is

The controversy due to embryonic stem cells is quite debatable. Both sides present many strong reasons that prove their point, but it is still, frankly, nearly impossible to take a stand from an unbiased view. "This is the first study showing that embryonic stem cells can be used for brain and spinal cord repair in an animal model of a human neurological disease," said researcher Oliver BrŸstle (a neuropathologist at the University of Bonn in Germany) referring to the study done on rats (CNN). Just like Oliver BrŸstle many scientists around the world agree that embryonic stem cell show much welcomed hope of cure of spinal and brain repair. In addition to healing spinal and brain injuries, the embryonic stem cells can also treat diabetes, a disease which 54%

In come a stem cell which is an immature cell that can become a different cell, or even transform into one of many different cells. Most stem cells can also renew or divide themselves indefinitely. These two characteristics are what present a new pathway to repairing damage to the human body caused by trauma, degeneration and disease. Stem cells keep on generating in the body and take place of the cells which have died such as in a spinal cord injury. The process of using stem cells for spinal cord injury is controversial for some and involves taking one’s own bone marrow or a donated human umbilical cord. A licensed anesthesiologist harvests bone marrow from both hips under light general anesthesia in a hospital operating room, the procedure takes about one and half to two hours. The bone marrow-derived stem cells have to pass rigorous testing for quality and to ensure there is not bacterial contamination before they are administered to the patient. In the same fashion

Additionally, an author provided an example of another therapy –the haploidentical transplantation that uses bone- marrow cells, which are only half-matched to a patient. However, Berger clearly gives readers to understand that using umbilical-cord stem cells is better because they have not been exposed much to bacteria and viruses. As an article says the transplant trial was done by Colleen Delaney of the Fred Hutchinson cancer Research Center. The author of the article states that Delaney’s clinical trial saved the lives of thirteen people, including Quinn and Gordon, out of fifteen participants. Therefore, using the stem cells from babies’ umbilical cords is a new solution for the blood cancer patients, especially those with different racial

Discoveries from stem cells have been substantial within the last 20 years, with breakthrough treatments for diseases and conditions previously thought to be incurable. For instance, the case of Portuguese patient Silvio, who, due to an accident, suffered Grade A spinal cord injury, and “was left with no movement of his legs and minimal

There are other less controversial methods of obtaining stem cells, however none of those methods seem to retrieve stem cells with the same “vitality and versatility” as those taken from embryos (Reaves). Umbilical cord blood has proven to be effective in some cases. Keone Penn, a fifteen year old from Atlanta, Georgia, was cured of his sickle cell anemia by receiving a stem cell injection. Although stem cells from umbilical cord blood are high proportioned compared to are own bone marrow and circulating blood (Dr. Andrew Yeager), they are still pluripotent, meaning that they can develop into many of the 220 cell types in the human body, but not all, therefore limiting their usefulness. Another and most obvious alternative would be to take stem cells from already grown adult stem cells. However, scientists around the world soon discovered that there were many setbacks to using adult cells. The first is that adult stem cells are already specified, meaning that if a biomedical technician were to take out a blood stem cell, it could only be used for the replacement of blood cells. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, are not specified, or have not yet developed into a certain type of cell. The process is controversial because of the cloning that takes place in a culture. First, the nucleus from an unfertilized egg is extracted. The nucleus contains the chromosomes of the cell, and in this case, the chromosomes of the egg. An egg alone only

In humans adult stem cells, not embryonic stem cells, have been used in therapies for more than forty years. People with blood disorders have used stem cell therapy to take the opportunity to improve upon their life. On the other hand, embryonic stem cells have a very high potential to treat or even cure numerous diseases like diabetes and heart disease. They are much more versatile in their usage compared to adult stem cells. Another practical use for embryonic stem cells is to treat damaged nerves ("Testing The Use…”). These nerves could have been impaired in a spinal cord injury. As of today, scientists have already performed stem cell transplants in people whose cells were damaged through chemotherapy of disease.

Stem cells are used in treating different diseases because embryonic cells can form into the cell type needed, then those cells replace the ones that were damaged by the disease. They can be used in a bone marrow transplant.

A limited amount of stem cells can be extracted from after birth, but these few cells can mean a longer or improved life for someone (Bergman). In addition, people believe that harvesting cord blood cells steals the cells from the child. The umbilical cord is cut and clamped just like a typical delivery (CariCord). Delayed clamping, in which the cord is left attached to drain the blood back into the baby, still allows the afterbirth to be donated. The science behind cord blood banking is still developing because these treatments have only been performed for a little over ten years and the only way to overcome that is to move forward with research (Stem Cell). Cord blood cells hold the potential of becoming brain and heart cells and combatting serious neurological diseases. The science is young, but one out of every three hundred kids are plagued with cerebral palsy and one of every sixty-eight children battle autism (What It Is). The chance of helping people throughout the world live a better life fuels the need for an increase of support in this budding

So what is cord blood banking? Cord blood banking is the process of storing the stem cell-rich blood from the umbilical cord after a mother gives birth. The stem cells are the key that unlock potential for treatment for conditions such as brain and spinal cord injury, some types of cancer, including leukemia, brain and heart tissue repair, and many others (2015). One of the reasons that there is such a positive success rate when using cord blood for these medical conditions is that for the child, the stem cells are a 100% match. (GET MORE DATA REGARDING WHY THE BLOOD IS

“Sick children whose parents did bank their blood sometimes cannot be used (Moniger, 67). Many blood banks do not tell parents that if their children may develop a cancer or a disease early on in their life that they may not be able to use the cord blood because the blood may be diseased. This risk is one of the main risks that deter parents from paying the cost for banking. Another negative aspect of cord blood collection and banking is that if a mother who delivers twins would like to collect and store her children’s cord blood, she would not be able to. Both babies may have a different cord tissue type and they may be mixed during the collection process making them virtually useless” (The Truth about Cord Blood Banking- Lucie's list, n.d.) . Also, If the mother ever had cancer, she can not have her child’s blood collected. This is because doctors do not want the possibility of the cord blood to be contaminated with the cancer which in turn will contaminate the patient receiving

Over the past two decades, the stem cells became an important part of a medical research. Today, stem cells are used to assist in treating numerous diseases. The umbilical cord blood can now be saved in special banks to preserve the youngest stem cells for an unlikely event the child later develops a certain kind of illness. Although there has been a lot of talk about research using stem cells, most people don’t come in contact with the topic of cord blood banking. This issue is exclusively presented to expecting parents. I want to use this question to inform unfamiliar readers about cord blood banking and its use in stem cells research. I intend to use this a question as an introduction to this topic in my research essays.

Stem cells today have allowed doctors to conduct experimentations that could help discover the cure of various diseases that seem incurable. Through current clinical applications of stem cells, doctors have created various of stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy is being use as a therapeutic option for a diverse group of genetic diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's, and muscular dystrophy. Cancer treatment most commonly uses somatic stem cells to decrease the amount of defective cells. Take leukemia for example. Leukemia is a type of cancer that is caused from leukocyte. What doctors first try on patients with leukemia is chemotherapy. IF chemotherapy does not reduce the sickle cells, then there is alternative procedures in place, it would

C. Thesis: Although not an ideal medium for harvesting, and will not replace other types of stem cell sources, umbilical cord blood should be an integral part of the blood/tissue bank repertoire.