FAQs

Cord Tissue Stem Cells — FAQs

Cord Tissue Stem Cells — FAQs

What is cord tissue?

The umbilical cord (cord tissue) is one of the richest sources of a valuable stem cell called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which create structural and connective tissue. Saving a small segment of your baby's umbilical cord can yield a potentially unlimited supply of this type of stem cell, which may have use for your newborn or any family member in a growing number of developing therapies, including treatment for spinal cord injury, heart repair following a heart attack, bone repair, and cartilage regeneration.

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Are cord tissue stem cells different than cord blood stem cells?

Yes, cord tissue stem cells (MSCs) are different from cord blood stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells). Cord tissue stem cells create structural and connective tissue while cord blood stem cells turn into all of the cells in the body's blood and immune system. These two types of stem cells can help repair the body in different ways so each offers potential treatments for different diseases and injuries. And cord tissue stem cells can be easily replicated, providing the potential for multiple treatments.

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What is cord tissue banking, and how is it done?

Only CBR offers you the unique opportunity to save the newborn stem cells that exist in your baby’s umbilical cord tissue. The stem cells in cord tissue are different than those found in cord blood and may help repair the body in different ways. By saving the different types of genetically unique stem cells from your baby’s cord tissue and cord blood, you secure the greatest level of protection and peace of mind knowing that, if needed, the cells you have may be a powerful resource for your family’s future health.

After your baby¹s umbilical cord has been clamped and cut, and after cord blood collection (if also performed), your doctor or midwife will collect a 4- to 8- inch segment of the umbilical cord and place it in the CBR CordCupTM. The collection kit is then returned to CBR's laboratory by an express courier. Cord tissue collection is safe for both the mother and baby and can be done after vaginal or cesarean births.

CBR saves the entire cord tissue segment and all of the cells within it for your family. In addition to mesenchymal stem cells, other types of cells in cord tissue are being researched and may prove to be valuable for use in regenerative medicine treatments. By storing the whole tissue, CBR saves all of the different types of cells for your family. If your baby’s cells are needed for therapies in the future, the cord tissue can be processed to extract the cells using the best technology at that time.

If you do not save your baby's cord tissue, it is discarded as medical waste.

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How are mesenchymal stem cells used in medical treatments?

Today, with more than 80 clinical trials underway using this type of cell, a broad range of debilitating health conditions and everyday injuries may soon be successfully treated. Although using these cells in humans is still at an early stage, MSCs show tremendous promise for a broad range of applications, including treatment for spinal cord injury, heart repair following a heart attack, bone repair, and cartilage regeneration. Common injuries, such as rotator cuff and ACL tears, may one day be effectively treated with one's own cord tissue stem cells instead of surgery. Based on preclinical and clinical studies, researchers believe that MSCs are able to help regulate the immune system response and may help treat conditions such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis and may reduce complications from transplant.

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New uses for cord blood stem cells are being discovered rapidly; however, banking cord blood and cord tissue does not guarantee that the cells will provide a cure or be applicable for every situation. Ultimate use will be determined by the treating physician. Use in regenerative medicine is still considered experimental. Medical treatments using cord tissue are still under development and have not yet been used in humans.

Banking cord blood does not guarantee that the cells will provide a cure or be applicable for every situation. For inherited genetic conditions, the child will not be able to use his or her own stem cells. A matched sibling's stem cells would be the first choice. Ultimate use will be determined by the treating physician. Treatment for brain injury and juvenile diabetes is experimental and currently requires the use of your own cord blood. Medical treatments using family banked cord tissue are in early research and are not available today; there is no guarantee that therapies will be developed in the future.
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