Collecting stem cells contained in the blood and tissue from your baby’s umbilical cord is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity. Cells collected during childbirth are the youngest that can be preserved, and haven’t yet aged. The potential of these cells is enormous thanks to their powerful ability to differentiate (into various cell types) and replicate (self-renew indefinately). Thanks to this umbilical cord stem cells can be used both to treat serious blood diseases with hematopoietic cells (HSC) and to treat pathologies and injuries, with mesenchymal cells (MSC) found in the cord tissue.
Umbilical cord stem cells
Umbilical cord stem cells
Why bank your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells?
Which cells are collected?
The umbilical cord contains two different types of cells that are collected at birth:
These cells found in the blood of the umbilical cord and form part of our immune system. They have been used for more than 30 years to treat serious haematological diseases such as leukemias, lymphomas, anemias …
Some data on umbilical cord blood cells
- + 30 YEARS: More than 30 years ago, in 1988, Dra. Gluckman performed the first umbilical cord blood transplant in Paris to treat Fanconi’s Anemia.
- +85 DIFFERENT DISEASES: More than 85 different diseases are now treated with hematopoietic umbilical cord blood cells.
- +40,000 TRANSPLANTS: Umbilical cord blood has been used more than 40,000 times for transplant patients with very positive results savings many lives.
- + 400 CLINICAL TRIALS: Currently, there are more than 400 hematopoietic cell clinical trials underway worldwide. (clinical trials “umbilical cord blood”).
These are the cells found in the tissue of the umbilical cord and are the creators of the tissues and organs of our body. They are currently studying hundreds of different diseases across diverse medical specialties …
About umbilical cord tissue cells
- Currently, mesenchymal stem cells are the most studied cell type in regenerative medicine.
- More than 150 Clinical Trials
- They have an immunomodulatory effect and multiline differentiation.
- They have very diverse clinical applications, with bearing in a wide range of diseases.
How is the umbilical cord collected?
After your baby is born, the gynecologist handles the process of collecting the umbilical cord and introduces the biological material into a kit provided by Cellab, the CellabKit. We will deliver this kit to you at home before the birth and on the big day you take it with you to Hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell.
The blood from the cord is placed in a sterile bag and the cord tissue is stored in a sterile container. The samples are then sent to our laboratory located in Sant Julià de Lòria where they are processed and prepared for conservation.
30 years of conservation
When the samples arrive at Cellab they are transferred to the clean rooms of our laboratory and quickly processed. Once we have verified that they are sterile and have passed all the quality control checks, we freeze them at -180ºC using liquid nitrogen.
This cryopreservation allows us to stop the biological clock of the cells and preserve them for 30 years maintaining them at their point of maximum regenerative potential (year 0).
CitoPlus, the extended cytometry for characterization of regulatory T cells and NK cells
Extended cytometry of cord blood during processing allows additional characterization of these two lymphocyte subpopulations by flow cytometry. These two cell types can be used as starting material in the manufacture of advanced therapy drugs and in immunotherapy treatments against cancer and the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
• What cell types are characterized with this technique?
Known as regulatory T cells are cells that regulate or suppress other cells of the immune system. This type of lymphocytes is being used in numerous studies with very good results in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
These are known as Natural Killer (NK) cells and are a type of lymphocyte that are being used for the manufacture of immunotherapy drugs against cancer. Currently, these cells are being obtained from the blood of the sick patient and are often in poor condition due to the chemotherapy treatments to which they have been subjected. Umbilical cord blood is being studied as a source of NK cells for the manufacture of this type of drug.
• What are the advantages of having them characterized?
Having these two cell populations characterized and quantified may allow cord blood to be used in the future for the manufacture of immunotherapy drugs for cancer and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
• What do we have to do to sign up for CytoPlus?
It is as simple as mentioning it at the time of contracting so that our scientific team can perform the cytometry the day we process your baby’s umbilical cord blood.
• What is the cost of CitoPlus?
CitoPlus has a price of 295€ (taxes included) that must be added to the amount of conservation of the blood and umbilical cord tissue.
TissuePlus: preserving more umbilical cord tissue for the future
In umbilical cord tissue, there are mesenchymal cells present that have been responsible for the manufacture of the structural and connective tissue of our organism. By default, of all the units we process, we keep 3 cryo tubes of umbilical cord tissue. But, by contracting TissuePlus, you will be able to preserve more umbilical cord tissue for future therapeutic uses.
• What cells are found in the umbilical cord tissue?
Umbilical cord tissue is a source of stem cells containing mesenchymal cells. This type of cells are highly appreciated in regenerative medicine for their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory capacity, capable of lasting over time. Mesenchymal cells are found in Wharton’s jelly which is the part of the cord tissue surrounding the vein and arteries of the umbilical cord.
• How many tissue cells are preserved with TissuePlus?
By default, from each umbilical cord tissue we process we save 3 cryo tubes at no cost to the family. These cells will need culture and cell expansion to be applied tomorrow. For this reason, the more cells that are stored, the greater the productive capacity.
• What do we have to do to contract TissuePlus?
It is as simple as mentioning it at the time of contracting so that our scientific team can process the amount of cryo tubes chosen.
• What is the cost of TissuePlus?
TissuePlus has a price of 550€ (taxes included) for every 3 extra cryo tubes that we keep. In a standard cord the maximum amount of cryo tubes that can be extracted is about 9 in total.
Regenerative Medicine, a constantly growing market
Your decision to preserve your newborn baby’s umbilical cord stem cells will ensure your child access to their unique biological material for the future.
Medicine is evolving and exploring biological solutions that use a patient’s own cellular material. For this reason, storing umbilical cord cells provides the entry material for regenerative medicine.
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+90 diseases treatable with stem cells
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123 clinical trials investigating umbilical cord blood
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+40,000 transplants performed worldwide
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155 clinical trials investigating umbilical cord tissue
Diseases treatable with umbilical cord stem cells
The regenerative potential of cord stem cells is very significant.
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ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES
- Leukemias
- Lymphomas
- Sarcomas
- Myeloma
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AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES
- Crohn’s disease
- Evans syndrome
- Autoimmune neutropenia
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IMMUNODEFICIENCIES
- DiGeorge’s Syndrome
- Primary immunodeficiencies
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MEDULLARY DEFICIENCIES
- Anemias
- Histiocytosis
- Cytopenias
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METABOLIC DISEASES
- Anemias
- Hemoglobinuria
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MEDULLARY DEFICIENCIES
- Syndromes
- Leukodystrophies
Umbilical cord tissue is rich in mesenchymal cells. This type of cell gives rise to the structural and connective tissues of our body. Due to their ability to multiply and differentiate, mesenchymal cells are major protagonists in multiple clinical trials with amazing potential for a range of therapeutic applications.
Diseases where research utilising umbilical cord tissue cells has reached the clinical trial phase
Cartilage regeneration
SARS-CoV-2 – Covid19
Myocardial infarction
Critical limb ischemia
Multiple Sclerosis
Autism
Cerebral palsy
Crohn’s disease
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