Stem Cell Blog
Употребата на матичните клетки од папочна врвца рапидно се зголемува. Пред 10 години крвта од папочна врвца можеше да лекува околу 40 состојби, но денес таа бројка е над 80. Со нетрпение очекуваме нови терапии за болести и нарушувања како што се дијабет, аутизам и мозочен удар, можете да бидете во тек со најновите случувања во регенеративната медицина на нашиот блог за матични клетки.
A review paper, newly published in the prestigious Pediatrics journal, statistically demonstrates that cord blood therapy for cerebral palsy is an effective treatment to improve the motor skills of children suffering from this condition. The paper is an analysis of data from eleven studies on over 400 children with cerebral palsy.
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a group of motor disorders that affect movement, posture and coordination. It’s caused by damage to the brain while it is still developing. This happens most often before birth, but sometimes during or immediately after.
The severity of the condition can vary greatly. Symptoms include lack of balance and muscle coordination, muscles that are either too stiff or too floppy, exaggerated reflexes, and issues with walking, eating and speech.[1][2]
There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy. Available treatment includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, medication and sometimes surgery. This is aimed at helping people with the condition to be as healthy and independent as possible.[3]
What did the analysis find?
According to the analysis results, children who underwent cord blood therapy for cerebral palsy combined with rehabilitation saw a significantly greater improvement in gross motor skills compared to those gained from rehabilitation alone. The improvements reached their peak between 6 and 12 months after the cord blood therapy; the data also indicates that higher cell doses per kg of patient weight result in bigger improvements. This is consistent with the current hypothesis that the treatment works by reducing inflammation in the brain and stimulates tissue repair, leading to improvements in brain connectivity.[4][5]
After six to twelve months, the majority (68%) of children who underwent cord blood therapy for cerebral palsy scored higher on the gross motor function measure scale used for cerebral palsy (GMFM-66) than the entire control group. The analysis did, however, also find that the treatment had better results in younger children, as well as those with less severe cerebral palsy. Overall, the children who saw the best results were those under the age of 5 who had some ability to walk, whether unaided or with support, before the therapy.[4][5]
What does this mean for the treatment of cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy remains one of the most common motor disorders in childhood. It can be accurately diagnosed as early as 6 months of age, which is well within the bracket of highest therapy effectiveness identified by the analysis. What’s more, the sooner a child is treated, the better. This is because a single unit of cord blood will result in a higher cell dose per kg when a child is still small, and may even be enough for multiple treatments.[4]
At the present time, cord blood therapy is not approved as a treatment for CP in any country. This is due to it still requiring large-scale, phase 3 trials before it can reach this approval. Therefore, it is only available through clinical trials as well as expanded access or compassionate use programmes.[4]
This lack of approval means that, although there are cord blood units available for use in public banks, it may not be possible to use these for treatment in the immediate without gaining access to a clinical trial. Even then, the clinical trial may require the cord blood used in the treatment to be autologous (the child’s own), or to come from a sibling donor. Expanded access programmes may also have the same requirements.
A child having access to their own banked cord blood, or a sibling’s, could therefore be essential to ensure treatment can happen during the window of opportunity that could achieve the best results. To learn more about how you could preserve this important health resource for your child and your family, fill in the form below to request your free Parents’ Guide to Cord Blood Banking.
References
[2] NHS (2023). Overview – Cerebral Palsy. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cerebral-palsy/
[3] NHS (2023). Treatment – Cerebral palsy. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cerebral-palsy/treatment/
A phase 1 trial of a novel cell therapy for lymphoma that is highly resistant to standard treatment (highly refractory lymphoma) has published very positive results in the Nature Medicine journal. The therapy, which uses natural killer (NK) cells derived from cord blood, resulted in complete remission in two thirds of the treated patients.
What are natural killer cells?
NK cells are a specific type of white blood cell, a part of the immune system which targets and destroys infected and cancerous cells. These cells patrol the body, determining which cells should be destroyed based on whether they receive the correct signals from them or not.[1]
Their ability to kill cancerous cells makes NK cells ideal for the development of cell therapies to treat cancer. These typically hinge on modifying the NK cells, granting them the ability to recognise and destroy cancerous cells they would otherwise ignore.[2] Such is the case for this novel cord blood cell therapy for lymphoma, a type of blood cancer which affects lymphocytes, white blood cells which are part of the immune system. Normally, lymphocytes help the body fight off infection. With lymphoma, however, they do not work correctly and can multiply out of control, accumulating quickly in lymph nodes and other organs in the lymphatic system, such as the spleen and liver.[3][4]
Thanks to advances in medicine, lymphoma is generally considered a very treatable type of cancer, with 5-year survival rates averaging between 74% and 89% depending on the type of lymphoma.[5][6][7] However, sometimes the cancer still resists treatment or reoccurs afterwards, leaving patients with refractory or relapsed lymphoma with few options and a poor prognosis.[8] This can happen in between 10%-40% of cases, depending on the type of lymphoma, the patient age at diagnosis, and how advanced the disease was at diagnosis.[9][10] This is the need this cord blood cell therapy for lymphoma is attempting to fill.
What does the new therapy entail?
Researchers first isolated NK cells from cord blood and then activated them using a combination of cytokines.[8] Cytokines are proteins which the immune system uses to send signals;[11] using them to activate NK cells stimulates their cancer-fighting abilities.[12]
Then, the antibody AFM13 was added to the NK cells, enabling them to target the CD30 protein. This protein is found on the surface of cancerous cells in specific types of lymphoma, primarily in Hodgkin lymphoma but also other varieties.[8]
Following chemotherapy, doctors infused a dose of the treated NK cells into patients. This was then followed by three doses of the AFM13 antibody, administered once a week.
Why is this therapy so important?
The 42 patients who took part in the trial all had highly refractory lymphoma, having received a median of seven prior treatment courses. In spite of this, the therapy achieved an overall response rate of 92.9%, with 66.7% of patients experiencing complete remission. In patients with Hodgkin lymphoma specifically, the rates were even higher, with a complete remission rate of 73% and an overall response rate of 97.3%.
Eleven patients remained in complete remission for at least 14 months, with this lasting, for some, up to 40 months after receiving the therapy. Five patients remained in complete remission without any further treatment, and six went on to receive a stem cell transplant.
At a median follow-up of 20 months, the therapy led to complete disease remission in 26.2% patients, or about one in four patients. The two-year overall survival rate was 76.2%.[8] These are encouraging and very positive results, particularly considering how resistant their cancer had been to previous treatment. Moreover, the therapy proved to be safe and well-tolerated, with no adverse side effects beyond those caused by the chemotherapy.
This trial was a small-scale one, primarily aimed at confirming the safety of the treatment and determining an optimal dose. Larger trials are therefore needed before this therapy can become available to patients.
Still, trials like this, as well as many others currently ongoing, highlight the strong curative potential of cord blood cells. To discover more about cord blood cells, and find out how you could preserve them for your baby and family’s potential future use, fill in the form below to request our free guide.
References
[3] Blood Cancer UK. Lymphoma. https://bloodcancer.org.uk/understanding-blood-cancer/lymphoma/
Osteoarthritis, a chronic degenerative joint disease, affects millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability.[1][2] Currently available treatments can offer relief from pain and other symptoms. However, they fail to address the root of the disease, as they cannot effectively restore the damaged joint.[3] A novel stem cell therapy based on cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) is now emerging as a promising regenerative approach. The therapy, called Cartistem, has been shown to regenerate strong, elastic cartilage in the joint, rather than the fibrous, weaker cartilage created by an alternative treatment.[4]
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis, and primarily affects middle-aged and older adults. It involves the deterioration of the cartilage that protects the ends of bones within a joint. Because cartilage does not contain blood vessels, it has a limited ability to self-repair[5]; with continued deterioration, it disappears entirely, leading to damage and changes to the bones themselves. Symptoms include joint stiffness and pain, as well as reduced range of motion, and can increase over time. Eventually, they can become severe enough to make day-to-day activities more difficult.[1][6]
The risk of osteoarthritis increases with age, although there are other risk factors which can contribute. These include joint injuries, overuse of the joint in work or sports, obesity and genetics.[1] Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body, but most frequently appears in the hands, knees, hips and spine.[1] Knee osteoarthritis, in particular, often involves both knees. It can cause pain during walking, especially going uphill or downhill, as well as difficulty straightening the legs and a sensation of the knee “giving way”.[7]
Treatments for knee osteoarthritis
The current standard of care for knee osteoarthritis includes a range of treatments that aim to manage pain, reduce stiffness and improve range of motion. They include both surgical and non-surgical options.
Non-surgical treatment is typically tried at first. This includes pain medication as well as lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and exercise, and assistive devices, such as special footwear, braces, or walking aids.[8][9] If non-surgical treatments have not been effective or the patient’s daily life is seriously affected, doctors then look at surgical treatments. This could be an operation called an osteotomy, where a small section of bone on one side of the joint is removed to realign the joint and shift weight away from damaged parts of the cartilage.[10] Knee replacement, either partial or total, is also an option.[8][9]
Another possibility is a surgical treatment called microfracture or microdrilling. This treatment involves doctors making small holes into the surface of the bone where cartilage is absent. The holes cause blood and bone marrow to coat the surface of the bone, then forming into a clot. Thanks to the stem cells contained in blood and bone marrow, this clot eventually develops into a new layer of cartilage.[11] However, this new cartilage is not as strong as the original cartilage, and can break down more easily,[5][12] meaning any improvement is temporary.
A new therapeutic option
Cartistem is an off-the-shelf stem cell therapy developed in South Korea, where it has been approved for knee osteoarthritis treatment since 2012.[13] It consists of a combination of allogeneic UCB-MSCs and hyaluronic acid hydrogel. Applied to the area of damaged cartilage during surgery, the stem cells stimulate cartilage regeneration.[14]
Although Cartistem can be considered comparable to microdrilling in terms of the underlying process, a recent study has shown that this therapy can regenerate cartilage that is stronger and more resilient. The study, the results of which were recently presented at the 2025 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, directly compared the results of Cartistem to those of microdrilling.[4]
According to researchers, Cartistem repaired a greater surface area than microdrilling, producing stronger cartilage which contained more collagen and had improved stiffness and elasticity. In contrast, microdrilling produced weaker, more fibrous cartilage, and in one out of five patients resulted in no cartilage regeneration at all.[14]
On the strength of the results from this and other studies, the FDA granted approval to proceed directly to a phase 3 clinical trial in the United States. A phase 3 trial is also underway in Japan.[4]
The regenerative power of cord blood stem cells
The strong potential of UCB-MSCs for the treatment of osteoarthritis is well-documented, with several recent studies highlighting their positive effects.[15][16][17]
Cartistem is a proprietary, off-the-shelf therapy, using allogeneic (donor) UCB-MSCs. However, as therapies are still being discovered and developed, it is entirely possible that a patient having access to their own cord blood stem cells could make the difference in terms of effectiveness. This could be the case not only for osteoarthritis, but for also for many other illnesses and diseases.
To discover more about cord blood stem cells, and how you could preserve them for your baby for potential future treatment, fill in the form below to request your free guide to cord blood banking.
References
[7] NHS (2019). Symptoms – Osteoarthritis. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoarthritis/symptoms/
[8] NHS (2023). Treatment – Osteoarthritis. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoarthritis/treatment/
[13] MEDIPOST. (2022). CARTISTEM®. https://en.medi-post.co.kr/cartistem/
A new study on cell therapy for cerebral palsy has, for the first time, directly compared the efficacy of two different treatments. Although more research is needed, the study’s results offer valuable insights for future clinical trials tackling this challenging disorder.
The challenges of cell therapy for cerebral palsy
Over the past two decades, cell therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for cerebral palsy. In particular, mononuclear cells from cord blood (UCB-MNCs) and mesenchymal stem cells from cord tissue (UCT-MSCs) have proven to be a safe and effective therapy. Many clinical trials have obtained results showing improvements in patients’ motor function through these cells’ anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and regenerative properties.
However, efforts to pinpoint the best treatment method have been stymied by significant variations in trial parameters. Differences from study to study can include the type and severity of cerebral palsy, the age of the patients, the cell type, dose and delivery method, whether the study is open-label or blinded, and even the methods and time periods used to monitor improvement. Consequently, no two studies are alike, and results cannot be directly compared.[1][2]
Study methods and goal
The new study, conducted in Iran, is a pooled analysis of the results of two studies, one on UCB-MNTs and one on UCT-MSCs. Both studies were conducted in the same research centre; moreover, to aid in the comparison, the research methodology and other variables were kept the same as much as possible.[3][4][5]
The study patients were aged 4-14 and had spastic cerebral palsy with white matter lesions. After eligibility screening, 108 patients were randomly assigned to the two treatment arms or a control group. Treatment was done via intrathecal (into the spinal fluid) injection, with the control group receiving a sham procedure instead. Researchers then assessed patients’ motor function, quality of life, disability and spasticity after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.
Both individual studies were double-blinded. Furthermore, all statistical analysis, both for individual studies and for the final pooled comparison, was performed by a blinded statistician.
The individual studies aimed to confirm that UCB-MNCs and UCT-MSCs are a safe and effective treatment for cerebral palsy. Following that, the pooled study analysis compared the effects of the UCB-MNC treatment to those of the UCT-MSC treatment across the study period.
Study results
Both the UCB-MNC treatment and the UCT-MSC treatment reported positive results over time when compared to the control group. Patients in both groups showed improvement in gross motor function and quality of life, as well as reduction in disability and spasticity.[4][5]
Figure 1. A comparison graph of the two different treatment groups and the control group.[3]
As the figure above shows, researchers found that the UCB-MNC treatment group showed stronger improvements in motor function early on. However, both the UCB-MNC and UCT-MSC groups achieved the same level of improvement at 6 months post treatment. At twelve months after treatment, there was some gradual deterioration of the improvements; however, researchers noted that UCT-MSCs did seem to result in more sustainable changes, with patients seeing less deterioration compared to the UCB-MNC group.[3]
Due to this deterioration, researchers posit that repeated doses at regular intervals may be the best route to continued improvement.[1] They also suggest that future trials should investigate treatments combining both UCB-MNCs and UCT-MSCs, as it may prove more effective than individual ones.[3]
The future of medicine
Researchers stress that this study is only a start, and further comparative trials and research are needed. Although both UCB-MNCs and UCT-MSCs offer positive results, there is still no certainty on which cell type and source will prove most effective treatment. This is true not only for cerebral palsy, but also for other illnesses and diseases for which an effective treatment is still being sought.
This uncertainty highlights the importance of comprehensive stem cell banking. By storing as many stem cell sources as possible, you could equip your baby and family with the broadest range of options for future regenerative therapies.
To find out how you could preserve both cord blood and tissue, along with amnion and placenta, for your baby’s potential future use, fill in the form below to request your free guide.
References
After two planned transplants from unrelated donors fell through at the very last minute, Australian three-year-old Tommy Bacon is now in remission from a rare, dangerous form of leukaemia following a transplant of the stem cells from his baby sister’s cord blood.[1]
Tommy’s story
Tommy fell ill not long after his parents discovered they were expecting a second child – a baby girl. When he first started showing signs of illness, his parents and their doctor were not immediately alarmed. They assumed it was just a case of the usual germs picked up at daycare, which he had recently begun attending.
After he developed tonsillitis during a family trip to the UK in May 2023, however, his parents took him to the hospital and insisted he should be admitted. Tests eventually revealed that he had leukaemia. More specifically, he had a form of the disease called juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML). What’s worse, he had one of the most high-risk, aggressive variants.
JMML is incredibly rare, with only 1-2 children out of one million being diagnosed with it every year[2]. A stem cell transplant is the only curative treatment option. Without a transplant, however, a child with an aggressive variant of JMML could survive for less than a year.[3]
The search for a donor
Australia’s donor registry had no donor compatible with Tommy, so his parents started a donor drive. Eventually, an international donor was found. Unfortunately, however, the donor pulled out of the donation process a week before Tommy was due to start his pre-transplant chemotherapy.
By then, Tommy’s baby sister’s due date was fast approaching, and his parents booked a date for the induction. On the day they were going into hospital, a phone call came that a second donor had been found for Tommy. Still, they decided to have their baby girl’s cord blood collected and stored with an Australian cord blood bank, just in case – although they knew it wasn’t guaranteed that she would be a match for Tommy.
Not long after baby Aria’s birth, the second donor, too, pulled out. The family was heartbroken.
A search for a third donor got underway, but Tommy didn’t have long. Because of this, a decision was made to prepare Tommy’s dad as a half-matched (haploidentical) donor. Such a transplant would not have been ideal, since haploidentical transplant recipients are at higher risk of developing post-transplant complications[4]. Absent a perfect match, though, this was Tommy’s last hope.
Then, the cord blood bank called: they had tested Aria’s cord blood, and she was a perfect match for Tommy.
Within a few weeks, Tommy received his transplant. Four months later, he was in remission.
The importance of family cord blood banking
Tommy’s story highlights the importance of family stem cell banking. By choosing to bank your baby’s cord blood stem cells, they will always be ready and waiting should your baby, or another family member, need them.
Their cord blood stem cells are guaranteed to be their own perfect genetic match. There is also a 25% chance they will be a perfect match for a sibling, and a 50% chance of a partial match. Moreover, they are always a partial match for both parents. This is why it can be so important to bank cord blood for every baby in the family, rather than just one.
Stem cells are being heavily investigated in the field of regenerative medicine to treat a wide variety of illnesses and injuries that are currently considered incurable. There are over 7500 clinical trials currently investigating both autologous (a patient’s own stem cells) and allogeneic (donor stem cells) uses of stem cells, in the hopes of developing new therapies.
These therapies aim to take advantage of the regenerative qualities of stem cells to aid in healing injuries such as spinal cord damage, heart disease, brain injury, arthritis and type 1 diabetes.
By saving your baby’s cord blood stem cells, you can give your baby and family a better chance of accessing these therapies, should they need one in the future.
“I would strongly recommend that if you’re thinking about getting cord blood collected, do it!” says Tommy’s mum, Kylie. “If it can change a life in such a huge way, why would you not?”[5]
To find out more about how cord blood banking works, and how it could safeguard your family’s health, fill in the form below to request a free welcome pack.
References
A new study on the effectiveness of treatment for spinal cord injuries indicates that a combination therapy, including epidural electrical stimulation (EES) as well as neural stem cells and umbilical cord stem cells, could offer better results than any one treatment on its own.
What is spinal cord injury?
Spinal cord injury is a debilitating, disabling neurological condition resulting from damage to the spinal cord, or to the nerves at the end of the spinal canal. This is most frequently caused by traumatic occurrences such as vehicle accidents, falls, sport injuries or violence, but may also be caused by tumours, infections or degenerative conditions.
Spinal cord injury causes partial or complete loss of sensation and function below the level of the injury, commonly resulting in paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia), loss of bladder and bowel control, and breathing issues.[1]
What therapies are currently available?
At present, there are no known therapies that would reverse the initial injury and return an injured spinal cord to full function.[2] Current treatments for spinal cord injury focus on limiting what is called the secondary injury cascade, ideally preventing further damage and thus further loss of feeling and motor function.[3] These methods include surgery, medication, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and assistive devices such as braces or wheelchairs.
What is epidural electrical stimulation for spinal cord injury?
In epidural electrical stimulation, an array of electrodes is implanted along the spinal cord through a surgical procedure called a laminectomy. The stimulation provided by the electrical pulses generated by these electrodes could help in the recovery of functionality following spinal cord injury, improving patients’ ability to walk and stand as well as aiding with bladder and bowel control.[3] [4]
How could stem cells help?
By leveraging the regenerative properties of stem cells, it is hoped that a stem cell treatment could repair and regenerate damaged spinal cord tissue.
This could mean protecting what neurons remain intact, repairing the protective myelin sheath on damaged ones, thus restoring their ability to conduct nerve signals, and replacing lost ones. Stem cells also have the ability to modulate the body’s immune response, and could reduce inflammation and mitigate the secondary damage that follows the initial injury.[5]
There are currently several clinical trials studying the application of stem cells for spinal cord injury. Although more research is needed, results so far are promising, including the high-profile case study of a man who has regained the ability to walk.[6]
What has the new study found?
Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong University, China, set out to test the effectiveness of a therapy combining both epidural electrical stimulation and stem cell injections, using a mouse model of spinal cord injury.[7]
The study involved four different groups of mice: a group which was treated with EES alone, a group which was treated with a mix of mouse neural stem cells (NSCs) as well as human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs), a group which received both treatments and a control group in which the spinal cord injury was left untreated. The mice in all groups were monitored and assessed for a period of two months.
Following the injury, all mice had complete loss of function in their hind limbs; a week post-injury, mice in the treatment groups underwent their respective treatments. At the end of the monitoring period, mice in the control group were still unable to support themselves on their hind limbs. Conversely, some mice in the EES group were able to achieve paw standing; mice in the hUCMSC group also achieved this milestone, in a more frequent and sustained manner. Mice in the combined treatment group not only achieved paw standing, but also showed improved motor coordination. Swimming and gait analysis tests corroborated these findings, with the hUCMSC group doing better than the EES group, both doing better than the control and the combined treatment group doing best of all.
What’s next?
Both EES and stem cell transplants are currently the subject of clinical trials to test their effectiveness in the treatment of spinal cord injury. As the new study shows, it is entirely possible that the best treatment will be a combination of both, but more research is required on each individual treatment before the combination therapy can be tested in humans.
What is undeniable is that the number of studies and clinical trials examining the regenerative power of stem cells and their potential for treating currently incurable diseases and injuries continues to grow.
To find out more about what stem cells could do, and how you could preserve a rich source of them for your baby so that they could gain access to future regenerative treatments, fill in the form below to request your free welcome pack.
References
04/12/2024 BlogNewsStem Cell NewsUses for Cord Blood
Today marks World Cord Blood Day—a day dedicated to highlighting the medical breakthrough that began 36 years ago, in 1988, with a single transplant. That cord blood transplant opened the door to a new era in medicine. Since then, stem cells from cord blood have transformed countless lives, offering hope to those battling over 80 serious diseases including leukaemia, sickle cell anaemia, lymphoma, and more.
Once dismissed as medical waste, cord blood’s potential to heal is becoming more and more recognised, with over 60,000 transplants since 1988. Today, stem cells are the key players in regenerative medicine, studied in thousands of labs and clinical trials around the world. Scientists are exploring their potential to treat conditions as varied as bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, arthritis, and even Crohn’s disease.
Yet, despite this remarkable potential, too often cord blood is still discarded after birth, lost forever. This is why World Cord Blood Day was created: to shine a light on the therapeutic power of cord blood and to encourage more families to preserve this incredible resource for the future.
As research has continued though, it is no longer just cord blood that holds such promise, but also the cord tissue and placental stem cells which hold immense potential in regenerative medicine.
Cord blood news
A lot has happened in the cord blood field since last year. Here are some news you may want to catch up on if you’ve missed them…
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Researchers in China found that umbilical cord stem cells could aid in healing intestinal ulcers caused by Crohn’s disease.
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A study found that umbilical cord stem cell therapy could improve ovarian function, a potentially important step towards overcoming the ‘biological clock’ of waning fertility.
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A five-year-old boy with a rare genetic disorder received a life-changing transplant of cord blood stem cells that had been stored by the NHS for 15 years.
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A clinical trial investigating the use of umbilical cord stem cells to treat chronic heart failure is underway.
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Umbilical cord stem cells are being researched as a treatment for acute liver failure.
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A new therapy could improve treatment outcomes for patients with Krabbe disease following a stem cell transplant.
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A recent report by the Parents’ Guide to Cord Blood Foundation highlighted continued interest in treatments based on umbilical cord stem cells in the medical research field.
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Haplo cord blood transplants, combining stem cells from a cord blood unit and a bone marrow donor, improve survival rates post-transplant and reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease.
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Umbilical cord exosomes could be used in developing life-changing therapies for a variety of conditions.
How can I bank my baby’s cord blood?
If you want to save this precious resource rather than having it thrown away, both public and private banking are available options.
Public banking means the cord blood stem cells are stored in a cord bank that makes them accessible to anyone who might need them. The NHS public cord bank accepts donations if you are giving birth at one of three hospitals; the Anthony Nolan charity public cord bank accepts donations from a further five hospitals.
Alternatively, you can choose to bank your baby’s cord blood privately, storing the stem cells solely for your family’s own use. They will be ready and waiting should your baby ever need them for treatment, and could be useful for family members, too – there is a 25% chance they would be an exact match for a sibling, or 75% chance of a partial match. They are also a guaranteed partial match for parents.
Everything about our services has been tailored to provide the maximum potential benefit to parents who store their baby’s stem cells with us, such as our advanced processing technology that retains up to three times more stem cells than industry-standard processing methods, meaning full compatibility with delayed and optimal cord clamping. We are also the only UK cord blood bank to offer placenta and amnion storage.
To learn more about cord blood banking and why most UK parents choose to store with us, simply fill in the form below for a free welcome pack.
A recent study published in the Lancet journal has shown that stem cells have been used to bring about significant improvements in vision in what’s being heralded as a world first.
The stem cell treatment focused on the repair of the cornea which becomes damaged in limbal stem-cell deficiency (LSCD), a disease that can lead to blindness.
It’s hoped that these findings could have a huge impact on how those with the disease are treated and that it could underpin future therapy options for those suffering from sight loss. [1]
What is LSCD?
Limbal stem-cell deficiency (or LSCD) is a disease characterised by the loss or deficiency of stem cells in the limbus, the border between the cornea and the sclera. These stem cells are crucial to the maintenance and repair of the limbus, in addition to ensuring the continuation of its barrier function.
Problems with limbal stem cells can lead to the epithelial breakdown of the cornea resulting in inflammation, scarring and potential vision loss.
LSCD has a variety of causes ranging from genetics to acquired causes like inflammation, infection, and trauma and injury. Management of the disease differs depending on the stage of its progression.
At the early stage, managing symptoms can be sufficient to alleviate its impact on quality of life. However, more progressed instances of LSCD require surgery which usually means transplants from key parts of donor eyes. [2]
What did the stem cell study involve?
The study focused on four patients, two men and two women, aged between 39 and 72 who had all been diagnosed with LCSD in both eyes.
Researchers then derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from donated cord blood and used to fabricate corneal epithelial stem-progenitor cells. These were then cultured and transformed into a thin sheet, iPSC-derived corneal epithelial cell sheets (iCEPS).
After removing a layer of scar tissue covering the cornea in one eye in each of the patients, the iCEPS sheet was transplanted on top and covered with a contact lens to protect the graft.
Patients were then monitored continuously to determine safety outcomes for a period of two years. [3]
What were the results of the stem cell study?
Throughout the whole of the two year safety observation period no serious adverse events occurred. The transplant was accepted by the patients without rejection and without tumour formation. In fact, researchers reported that two of the patients even forwent immunosuppressant drugs.
Following the transplant, all four patients saw immediate improvements in their vision during the first year and three out of four patients experienced sustained improvements in their vision and quality of life beyond one year.
These results are hugely encouraging and the research team, based at Osaka University in Japan, hope to move to a larger scale clinical trial to verify their promising findings. [4]
What does this mean for cord blood banking?
As the results of this trial show, stem cells have huge regenerative potential and are at the forefront of medicine, with researchers still coming to terms with the breadth of their applications.
While this study focused on the use of induced pluripotent stem cells derived from cord blood, other types of stem cells can be found in the umbilical cord and placenta, such as haematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, that similarly have enormous potential in the field of regenerative medicine.
Unfortunately, the umbilical cord and placenta are often regarded as mere medical waste, meaning that these stem cells get thrown away. But by storing these stem cells in a process called cord blood banking, you can ensure that your baby always has their own stem cells available for use in future therapies.
If you or someone you know is expecting and wants to know more about the power of stem cells and how they can be stored for future use, fill out the form below to request a free Welcome Pack.
References
[1] Soma, Takeshi et al. (2024). ‘Induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived corneal epithelium for transplant surgery: a single-arm, open-label, first-in-human interventional study in Japan’. The Lancet. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01764-1. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01764-1
[2] Karakus, S. (2024, August 2). Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency. American Academy of Opthalmology. https://eyewiki.org/Limbal_Stem_Cell_Deficiency
[3] Mallapaty, S. (2024, November 8). World-first stem-cell treatment restores vision in people. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03656-z
[4] Mahindra, A. S. (2024, November 10). Biggest Blindness Breakthrough: Japan Performs World’s First Stem Cell-treatment To Restore Vision. Times Now. https://www.timesnownews.com/health/biggest-blindness-breakthrough-japan-performs-worlds-first-stem-cell-treatment-to-restore-vision-article-115144553
Recent research indicates that umbilical cord exosomes have huge potential in the field of regenerative medicine.
In this blog we’ll explore what exosomes are, where they’re found, and how they could be used in developing new, life changing therapies for a range of conditions.
What are exosomes?
Exosomes are nano-sized particles that contain key biomolecules like proteins and lipids and travel between cells like messengers, regulating numerous biological processes including inflammatory responses.
Initially thought to be responsible for conveying waste away from cells, in recent years numerous trials and studies have explored their intercellular communicatory function and the potential this offers in a range of therapeutic applications.
Where are exosomes found?
Exosomes are produced by virtually every cell in the body, including stem cells.
Excitingly they can be derived from the mesenchymal stem cells that exist within both umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue.
Due to the low immunogenicity (the likelihood of being attacked by the immune system when transplanted) of mesenchymal stem cells derived from the umbilical cord, along with their non-invasive harvest procedure and ease of expansion in vitro, umbilical cord MSC exosomes (UC-MSC-Exo) are well suited for research and potentially therapeutic purposes. [1]
What can umbilical cord exosomes do?
Below are a few examples of recent trials utilising UC-MSC-Exo in the treatment of various conditions.
Heal wounds and repair nerves
A 2022 study investigating the use of UC-MSC-Exo in treating cutaneous nerve damage and wound healing showed that exosomes have the ability to promote skin and nerve regeneration.
Studied in vitro, researchers found that UC-MSC-Exo promoted the migration and proliferation of skin fibroblasts – cells that play a key role in forming connective tissue.
Additionally, UC-MSC-Exo were also found to promote the secretion of nerve growth factors by fibroblasts, suggesting that exosomes may enhance wound healing by promoting nerve repair.
Tested in vivo in a mouse model, the study showed that the wounds of the treatment group who received UC-MSC-Exo healed faster than the wounds of the group who received a control medium.
The study concluded that UC-MSC-Exo produced therapeutic effects by promoting skin and nerve regeneration. [2]
Slow the progress of osteoarthritis
Another study from 2022 demonstrated that exosomes derived from the umbilical cord have the potential to be used as a treatment method for osteoarthritis (OA).
Using a rat model, researchers undertook a surgical procedure designed to recreate the effects of knee osteoarthritis. They then administered injections of either UC-MSC-Exo or saline solution. After 8 weeks, knee samples were taken to assess the progression of the disease.
Researchers discovered that in the knees of rats who had received injections of exosomes the progression of OA had been halted and severe damage to knee cartilage prevented.
One of the key reasons behind this, the researchers found, was that the exosomes promoted the migration and proliferation of chondrocytes – cells that make up cartilage. They also found that the exosomes helped to inhibit the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors, as well as regulate immune responses; contributing factors in cartilage regeneration. [3]
Alleviate liver damage and disease
A study from 2020 showed that exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were able to secrete the molecule miR-455-3p which helped to suppress inflammatory immune responses and inhibit signalling pathways in order to improve liver damage. [4]
Another study showed that exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have antioxidant effects.
A contributing factor to the progression of liver damage, oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance in free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules) and antioxidants in the liver. Oxidative stress can lead to what’s known as apoptosis – programmed cell death. [5]
By using a mouse model, researchers were able to ascertain that injections of UC-MSC-Exo inhibited apoptosis in liver injury, reversing the fallout from oxidative stress. [6]
Promote heart repair
There have been several studies indicating that exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to reduce myocardial injury – damage to heart tissue.
A study from 2018 showed that UC-MSC-Exo may have the ability to promote the expression of Smad7, a protein which aids in myocardial protection by blocking certain signalling pathways.
Researchers believed this could be the mechanism underlying exosomes’ ability to inhibit apoptosis, promote angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) and improve cardiac function following acute myocardial infarction. [7] [8]
Rejuvenate older stem cells
An especially intriguing study from 2020 also showed that exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells could help in myocardial repair by rejuvenating the activity and function of mesenchymal stem cells in older patients.
Because heart conditions mainly affect older patients, the risk of immunogenicity associated with allogeneic stem cell transplants in helping to treat heart damage is a potential risk. This leaves autologous stem cell transplants – using stem cells from the patient themselves – as an available treatment option. However, due to age and cardiovascular risk factors, these autologous stem cells can be limited in their usefulness.
What this study found, however, is that UC-MSC-Exo have the ability to ameliorate the senescence of older mesenchymal stem cells and renew their biological activity, such as the potential to differentiate into cartilage, bone, and fat cells.
In effect this means that umbilical cord exosomes could help in restoring the regenerative capacity of mesenchymal stem cells in a range of therapies for patients who need them most. [9]
Exosomes and cord blood banking
As some of these trials demonstrate, exosomes are a hugely exciting field of regenerative medicine, and their therapeutic potential is only just beginning to be understood.
Most exciting is that these exosomes can be found in umbilical cord blood and tissue which, although usually thrown away as medical waste, can be stored so that your baby has access to their own stem cells that they can use in future therapies.
To learn more about the potential of umbilical cord stem cells and exosomes, contact our specialist team on 01444 873 950 – they’ll be more than happy to help answer any questions you may have.
In the meantime, why not fill out your details below for a free Welcome Pack containing everything you need to know about storing stem cells for your baby.
References
[1] Zhang, N., Zhu, J., Ma, Q. et al. (2020) Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord MSCs rejuvenate aged MSCs and enhance their functions for myocardial repair. Stem Cell Res Ther 11, 273. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-020-01782-9
[2] Zhu, Z., Zhang, X., Hao, H., Xu, H., Shu, J., Hou, Q., & Wang, M. (2022). Exosomes Derived From Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Treat Cutaneous Nerve Damage and Promote Wound Healing. Frontiers in cellular neuroscience, 16, 913009. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2022.913009
[3] Li, P., Lv, S., Jiang, W., Si, L., Liao, B., Zhao, G., Xu, Z., Wang, L., Zhang, J., Wu, H., Peng, Q., Li, Z., Qi, L., Chi, G., & Li, Y. (2022). Exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells protect cartilage and regulate the polarization of macrophages in osteoarthritis. Annals of translational medicine, 10(18), 976. https://doi.org/10.21037/atm-22-3912
[4] Shao, M., Xu, Q., Wu, Z., Chen, Y., Shu, Y., Cao, X., Chen, M., Zhang, B., Zhou, Y., Yao, R., Shi, Y., & Bu, H. (2020). Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate IL-6-induced acute liver injury through miR-455-3p. Stem cell research & therapy, 11(1), 37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-020-1550-0
[5] Li, S., Tan, H. Y., Wang, N., Zhang, Z. J., Lao, L., Wong, C. W., & Feng, Y. (2015). The Role of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants in Liver Diseases. International journal of molecular sciences, 16(11), 26087–26124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms161125942
[6] Jiang, W., Tan, Y., Cai, M., Zhao, T., Mao, F., Zhang, X., Xu, W., Yan, Z., Qian, H., & Yan, Y. (2018). Human Umbilical Cord MSC-Derived Exosomes Suppress the Development of CCl4-Induced Liver Injury through Antioxidant Effect. Stem cells international, 2018, 6079642. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6079642
[7] Wang, X., Zhao, Y., Sun, L., Shi, Y., Li, Z., Zhao, X. … Zhu, W. (2018). Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells improve myocardial repair via upregulation of Smad7. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 41, 3063-3072. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2018.3496
[8] Zhao, Yuanyuan, Sun, Xiaoxian, Cao, Wenming, Ma, Jie, Sun, Li, Qian, Hui, Zhu, Wei, Xu, Wenrong. (2015) Exosomes Derived from Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Relieve Acute Myocardial Ischemic Injury, Stem Cells International, 761643, 12 pages, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/761643
[9] Zhang, N., Zhu, J., Ma, Q. et al. (2020) Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord MSCs rejuvenate aged MSCs and enhance their functions for myocardial repair. Stem Cell Res Ther 11, 273. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-020-01782-9
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