The umbilical cord is the lifeline connecting baby and mother; and the blood flowing inside the umbilical cord is cord blood, which is a rich source of multi-potent cells called stem cells. For instance, hematopoietic stem cells have a great ability to form cellular elements of blood, such as red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes) and platelets (thrombocytes) – therefore, these cells are useful in treating various refractory blood diseases, such as leukemia and aplastic anemia.
Indeed, as cord blood is known to contain stem cells that have the potential to transform into a diverse range of varied cells, such as cells with the potential to aid repair of damage to the central nerves and autoimmunity as well as ischemic injury, the medical world is showing a surge of interest in cord blood in recent years, which is raising expectations for future applications in regenerative medicine and cell therapies that are at the clinical trial and research stages right now.