No, umbilical cord blood cells are taken from the baby's umbilical cord and placenta after the baby is born, and not from an embryo.

No, umbilical cord stem cells and embryonic stem cells are totally different. Sometimes there is a misperception due to the recent publicity about embryonic stem cells and the controversy about the federal government funding research for embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are involved with discharged fetuses either from a miscarriage or an abortion. These fetuses are the source for embryonic stem cells, which are being used for research purposes.

NIH cannot accept donated umbilical cord stem cells from the general public. The National Marrow Donor Program maintains a Web page on donating cord blood at http://www.marrow.org/NMDP/cord_blood_bank_list.html, and the International Cord Blood Society has one at http://www.cordblood.org/index.php?rm=common_page&id=10.

The collection process takes place after delivery when the cord has been separated from your newborn infant. In no way does it interfere with the birth of your baby. Your attending physician, nurse or midwife collects the cord blood utilizing a sterile kit provided by Cord Partners. The collected cord blood is sealed in a specially designed package and delivered to our laboratory for testing and processing. Finally, the sample is cryogenically stored until it needs to be retrieved.

Cord blood stem cells are harvested from a child's umbilical cord shortly after delivery. The process is painless and simple and in no way interferes with the health of the child. Embryonic stem cells are harvested from fertilized eggs that are in the early stages of development. While embryonic stem cells have a much greater ability to differentiate into other types of cells, many people have ethical and moral issues with the source of the stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells are derived at a very early stage of development called a blastocyst. This is a simple ball of about 100 cells that is similar in all species of animals at this stage of development. Embryonic stem cells are derived from the cells in the center of this blastocyst. Blastocysts are obtained from in vitro fertilization clinics. These clinics have produced an estimated 500,000 healthy, much-loved children over the two decades of their existence.

Stem cells are cells that have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells for as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each "daughter" cell has the potential to either 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.

Embryonic stem cells are undifferentiated, meaning that they don't belong to one specific organ. They have the potential to generate any type of tissue in the body. The potential that embryonic stem cells present to scientists is immeasurable. There have already been promising findings in the field of Parkinson's research using embryonic stem cells in mice and monkeys.

Yes, one type of stem cell is found in umbilical cord blood. This type, known as a hematopoietic or blood-forming stem cell, is more specialized than embryonic stem cells, but it has the ability to generate all types of blood and immune system cells. It does not have the ability to form cells in other tissues, like the brain.

Encouraging research is taking place in many areas of medicine. Stem cell research into diseases such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, lupus, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy and other autoimmune diseases have all shown promising results. Research has been based on the plasticity of stem cells and the potential to direct them into other cell types, such as heart, nerve, liver and pancreas cells.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB), once regarded as biological waste, has become an accepted source of hematopoietic stem cells/hematopoietic progenitor cells (HSCs/HPCs), similar to those found in bone marrow and peripheral blood.

NECBB has been processing and storing umbilical cord blood stem cells since 1995. Our laboratory, New England Cryogenic Center, has been a pioneer in the field of cryogenics since 1982 and of all of the cord blood banks in North America, NECBB is the most experienced in cryopreservation methods. Driven by innovation and strong ethics, President John Rizza represents the third generation in his family to lead NECBB. Our Medical Director, Hans Klingemann, M.D., Ph.D.

Although cord blood has only recently received widespread media attention, the first successful cord blood transplant took place in France in 1988, for a child with Fanconi’s Anemia, a rare congenital anemia. In 1991, a transplant was performed on a child with chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. Both transplants were successful, opening the door to cord blood transplantations for situations in which traditional bone marrow had been routinely used.

v CB transplant patients may have a higher survival rate, a higher quality of life after transplant and less frequent hospitalization due to complications such as Graft versus host disease (GVHD).

Embryonic stem cells are different from other types of stem cells in that their main function is to make all of the different tissues of the body. Most other stem cells, such as the above-mentioned hematopoietic stem cell, function in the body to make at least cells of one tissue. All stem cells are termed pluripotent, meaning one stem cell could form multiples types of cells.

Cord blood stem cells are different from other stem cells. Stem cells from Umbilical cords are the youngest of all the stem cells, created by a live birth. Another form of stem cells come from embryo's. These embroyonic stem cells are not currently being used to treat humans. A third type of stem cells is found in bone marrow, which are adult stem cells.

Sufficient years have not passed to prove the absolute length of time; however, it is believed that stem cells can be successfully stored long term, perhaps decades, in a cryopreserved form. A recent study of cord blood at Indiana University demonstrated its viability after 15 years of cryogenic storage. Bone marrow has been stored for decades and has remained viable; there is no reason to believe that the same would not be true of cord blood.

Cord blood stem cells have a number of significant advantages over other sources of stem cells (i.e., bone marrow): results in a lower rate of severe graft-vs-host disease (a major complication in stem cell transplants), and In addition, cord blood is "privileged" or unexposed to most diseases, which can make bone marrow from an adult more difficult to use in transplantation.

The preserved cord blood stem cells are, of course, available as a perfect match for the child from whose umbilical cord they were collected. Because there is a 1-in-4 chance of a perfect match with a sibling, parents may choose to make the cord blood available to siblings or potentially other family members who may need them. That decision is theirs alone.

The embryo is formed in early stages of fetal development and contains the embryonic stem cell. During development, the embryonic stem cells begin the process of forming tissues that will eventually compose the organs of the fetus. Embryonic stem cells give rise to all of the tissues of the embryo, excluding the placenta. Gilbert DM, Med Sci Monit 2004;10:RA99; Rossant J, Stem Cells 2001;19:477; Nature 2001;414:122-8; Yamazaki Y et al.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells are mostly used in stem cell transplantation to replace bone marrow cells. For reasons yet unknown, these cells pose less of a risk for rejection when compared to bone marrow stem cells. Due to the limited amount of cord blood, there is generally an insufficient number of cells for adult transplants.

Umbilical cord blood is stored because it has a higher number of hematopoietic stem cells than bone marrow. Mothers generally save their babies' umbilical cord blood in case something is wrong, such as the baby needing a stem cell transplant while he or she is still a child. If, for example, the baby develops leukemia, he or she could be infused with his or her own umbilical cord blood.

A cord blood unit is the term used for the blood collected from the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born. Cord blood is rich in blood-forming cells that can be used in transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and many other life-threatening diseases. Cord blood is one of three sources of cells used in transplant; the other two are bone marrow and peripheral (circulating) blood (also called peripheral blood stem cell or PBSC transplants).

The NMDP is committed to building an inventory of high-quality cord blood units to provide the best possible result for patients. When donated cord blood meets these standards for transplant, it will be stored and listed on the NMDP Registry: The cord blood unit must be large enough (contain enough blood-forming cells) for a transplant. If there are too few cells, the cord blood may be used for research to improve transplants for future patients or it may be discarded.

Human embryonic stem cells are thought to have much greater developmental potential than adult stem cells. This means that embryonic stem cells may be pluripotent—that is, able to give rise to cells found in all tissues of the embryo except for germ cells rather than being merely multipotent—restricted to specific subpopulations of cell types, as adult stem cells are thought to be.

Until the child is of legal age, the parents, as the child's guardians, have control over the stem cells. No stem cells will be released by Cryo-Cell without the parents' consent initially, and later the child's consent, once they reach legal age.