What is a stem cell bank??

Imagine treating a fatal disease or a failed organ with your own body cells that you had stored years ago instead of medication. sounds like a sci-fi movie? well, it isn't.

stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. Cool, isn't it?

Stem cell banking or preservation is the extraction,processing and storage of stem cells, so that they may be used for treatment in the future. But you couldn't do it if your parents don't decide to as the stem cells which are stored are extracted from the blood of a child's umbilical cord. The cells are then stored at -196 degrees in liquid nitrogen.

Diseases like blood cancers, sickle cell diseases, diabetes type 1 & 2, and many others can be treated with these cells.

Cord blood banking is only 27 years young so it is not quite sure for how long can the cord tissue or blood can be stored. It is believed that it could be stored infinitely in cryo preservation.

Although it is not a very budget - friendly option, it may also help in the treatment of other family members.

A frozen cord blood unit