How Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Work | ViaCord

Stem cells are the basic building blocks of life. They are found in the bodys organs, tissues, blood, and immune system and have the ability to regenerate into additional stem cells or differentiate into specialized cells, such as nerve or blood cells. This remarkable ability makes them invaluable in medical treatments. When transplanted into a patients body, stem cells can repair or replace the patients damaged or diseased cells, improving the patients health and, in many cases, saving the patients life.

Throughout pregnancy, the umbilical cord functions as the lifeline between mom and baby, carrying nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood from the placenta to the developing baby via the umbilical vein. The baby, in turn, pumps nutrient-depleted, deoxygenated blood back to the placenta through the umbilical arteries. The cord tissue surrounding the umbilical vein and arteries acts like a cushion, preventing twisting and compression to ensure the cord blood flow remains steady and constant.

The umbilical cord is a rich source of two main types of stem cells:cord blood stem cellsandcord tissue stem cells. Through the science of cord banking, both cord blood and cord tissue stem cells can help nurture life, long after a babys birth.

Umbilical cord stem cells share a special property that sets them apart from adult bone marrow stem cells: flexibility. This special property enables them to more easily adapt to a patients body during transplant. As a result, a patients body is less likely to reject the cells, increasing the chances for a successful outcome.

Another benefit of cord stem cells is their easy accessibility. Collecting umbilical cord stem cells is a straightforward, quick, and painless procedure for both mom and baby. Collecting bone marrow stem cells, on the other hand, involves a more complex surgical procedure that can put the bone marrow donor at risk for medical complications.

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How Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Work | ViaCord