What is Stem Cell Technology ?

Stem cells have been labelled the natural repair kit of the human body. The cells, collected from the umbilical cord blood at the time of birth, are the building blocks of our blood and immune systems and have the potential to grow into any other type of cells. They form the white cells that fight infection, red cells that carry oxygen and platelets that promote healing. Stem cells present in bone marrow and umbilical cord can generate new cells throughout our lives. Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used over the years in an increasing number of treatments including leukaemia, malignant tumours, blood disorders and red cell disorders.

In the last few years, more than 10,000 patients in over 150 countries have been treated with cord blood stem cell transplants. Currently, research in the use of stem cells to treat more than 85 diseases is being undertaken.

The two broad types of mammalian stem cells are: embryonic stem cells that are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, and adult stem cells that are found in adult tissues. In a developing embryo, stem cells can differentiate into all of the specialized embryonic tissues. In adult organisms, stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells, but also maintain the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin or intestinal tissues.

Stem cells can now be grown and transformed into specialized cells with characteristics consistent with cells of various tissues such as muscles or nerves through cell culture. Highly plastic adult stem cells from a variety of sources, including umbilical cord blood and bone marrow, are routinely used in medical therapies. Embryonic cell lines and autologous embryonic stem cells generated through therapeutic cloning have also been proposed as promising candidates for future therapies.

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