What is Cord Tissue?

Cord Tissue 101
1½ minute video
Learn why it’s special and why you
should preserve it with cord blood.

Your baby’s umbilical cord is made of tissue and contains blood. Umbilical cord tissue is home to several cell types, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which scientists think may be great at acting like a body’s emergency medical team.

In fact, MSCs are among the most widely researched cell types in the field of regenerative medicine, which makes their potential super exciting.109

5 Reasons to Preserve Your Baby’s Cord Tissue

  • 1.The future looks bright

    Exciting research into cord tissue stem cells is well underway. Over 100 clinical trials have been initiated worldwide to potentially help treat conditions that can occur over a lifetime, like osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders like lupus, among others.82, 110

    In the future, cord tissue may be used to help improve conditions that have no cure today. Which means that preserving cord tissue now could mean more therapeutic options in the future for your family!

  • 2.A prime source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)

    Umbilical cord tissue is chock-full of MSCs, one of the most widely researched cell types in the rapidly evolving area of regenerative medicine.109 Regenerative medicine aims to restore or establish normal function in the body.

    Why are scientists so jazzed about MSCs? Because MSCs have the ability to respond to inflammation and help repair tissue damage primarily by communicating with other cells in the body via sending and receiving signals.

  • 3.Other potentially powerful cells

    Let's not forget about the other cells that live alongside MSCs! Endothelial and epithelial cells are still in early research, but scientists are excited about their ability to potentially treat burns, wounds, vascular damage, and other conditions.111, 112, 113

    Putting them in your “back pocket” now means you could have more options for your family if and when treatments become available.

  • 4.Frozen in time

    Ever wish you could stop time? The truth is, you can stop time for the stem cells in your baby’s cord tissue. Preserving cord tissue stops the clock, locking in their unique advantages and protecting them from aging and environmental exposures.

  • 5.A fast, easy, and one-time opportunity

    Collecting cord tissue is harmless, non-invasive, and easy. The simple choice to preserve this resource now means you’ll have the most pristine source of these powerful cells frozen in time. It’s a world of possibilities for cord tissue stem cells.

    Planning on delaying cord clamping? No problem! There’s no impact to the cord tissue, and it can still be collected.

Exciting Research is Underway

Over 100 clinical trials around the world have initiated research using cord tissue stem cells as a potential treatment option for conditions like:82, 110

Autoimmune
Lupus, type 1 diabetes, bowel inflammation
Orthopedic
Osteoarthritis, spinal cord injury, bone nonunion
Cardiovascular
Heart disease, vascular damage, damage from heart attack
Tissue or organ damage
Liver disease, lung disease, reproductive-related conditions, wounds
Neurological (Acquired)
Stroke, cerebral palsy, HIE
Neurological (Degenerative)
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS

Saving the Whole Cord = More Possibilities

We’re thinking about the long game when we store your baby’s umbilical cord tissue. For starters, we preserve the cord as whole segments to help safeguard all the cell types, including MSCs, endothelial, and epithelial cells.

Why is this important? Research is still in early stages for cord tissue stem cells. Also, we anticipate cell-extraction technology will continue to advance, and there may be different methods of extraction depending on the type of cell and how it will be used.

By preserving cord tissue whole and retaining all the cells in the cord, we can take advantage of the best that science has to offer in the future.

A parent’sperspective:

  • The idea that my children could be medically helped one day because of this extremely reasonably priced process is amazing. I’m fascinated by the potential opportunities it provides for patients, and the future possibilities it may hold.

    Laura R., mom of 2 boys, orthodontist, and community volunteer
    CBR Client

  • Once we learned more about saving cord blood and cord tissue, we decided that we had to preserve it for each of our children. It gives us comfort to know we have done everything possible, should they need it in the future.

    Caroline H., mom of 3, attorney, and world-traveler
    CBR Client

  • You never know how advancements in technology may end up helping your child.

    Bloomie17
    BabyCenter Mom

  • With a family history of cancer, it just made sense that we would do anything in our power to have as many resources as possible for the future. We’re excited for what future science will yield. It gives me peace of mind that we have cord blood and cord tissue stored, should we ever need it.

    Alissa M., mom of 1, corporate leader, and collegiate basketball fan
    CBR Client

How Does It Work?

5 simple steps to preserve your newborn’s stem cells for your family.

See the steps