CORD BLOOD: Composition, Uses, Side Effects, Collection and Storage

CORD BLOOD: Composition, Uses, Side Effects, Collection and Storage  – The Cord Blood is also known as Umbilical Cord Blood. It is the Blood that remains in the Placenta and in the attached Umbilical Cord after childbirth. Cord Blood is often times collected because it contains Stem cells, which is useful in the treatment of hematopoietic (Blood cells production) and genetic disorders.

COMPOSITION OF CORD BLOOD

Cord Blood is composed of all the elements found in the blood:

1. Red blood cells,
2. White blood cells,
3. Plasma,
4. Platelets.

When compared to the blood, there are some differences in the blood composition.

For example, Cord Blood contains higher numbers of Natural killer cells, lower absolute number of T-cells and a higher proportion of immature T-cells.

Although, the thing of interest in Cord Blood is that it contains various types of stem and progenitor cells, mostly hematopoietic stem cells.

USES OF CORD BLOOD

Cord blood contains blood-forming stem cells that are used in the treatment of patients with blood cancers such as leukemias and lymphomas, as well as certain disorders of the blood and immune systems, such as sickle cell disease and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Cord blood is essential because it is a source of stem cells that form into blood cells. It is often used for transplantation in people who need blood regeneration, that is, ‘regrowth,’ of the blood-forming cells.

In Cancer patients, the disease is found in the blood cells. The Usual Chemotherapy treatment kills both the Cancer cells and the healthy blood-forming stem cells.

Thus, the Transplanted stem cells from Cord Blood can help Regrow and Regenerate the healthy blood cells after the chemotherapy.

SIDE EFFECTS OF CORD BLOOD TRANSPLANTS

Unfortunately, there are side effects associated with Cord Blood transplant.

There is an increased probability of infection and bleeding from the high dose of chemotherapy and radiation given prior to the transplant. Antibiotics are often giving to prevent or treat this possibility.

Patients may also receive transfusions of Platelets to prevent bleeding and Red blood cells to treat anemia.

Some short-term side effects include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, mouth sores, hair loss, and skin reactions.

Also, as the new immune system grows, it may also attack the organs of its new host in a disease called Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD).

However, Cord blood transplants tend to have less GVHD than other stem cell sources.

COLLECTION OF CORD BLOOD

There are several methods for collecting Cord blood. The method most commonly used in clinical practice is the “Closed technique”, which is similar to standard blood collection techniques.

Here, the vein of the severed Umbilical Cord is cannulated using a needle that is connected to a blood bag, and the Cord Blood flows through the needle into the bag. On an average, the closed technique enables collection of about 75 ml of cord blood.

STORAGE OF CORD BLOOD

The Collected Cord blood is cryopreserved and stored in a Cord Blood Bank for future transplantation.

Cord blood collection is typically depleted of Red blood cells before cryopreservation to ensure high rates of stem cell recovery.