Interesting facts that you may not know about stem cells and stem cell research


Stem cells are an undifferentiated and immature form of cells that later morph into different types of cells forming different types of tissues. They are either extracted from umbilical cord blood or from the bone marrow. They are also present in the bloodstream, but have less density and are known as peripheral stem cells. Their extraction from bone marrow needs painful medical surgery, whereas they can be easily extracted from the umbilical cord blood. After the extraction, they need to be harvested for which they are preserved using cryopreservatives under a certain condition, which varies from bank to bank.

Stem cells can be used to treat many diseases including some deadly ones like blood cancer, diabetes etc. Today, about 100 major diseases can be treated using stem cell therapy. It is thereby a matter of curiosity to know some of the interesting facts about stem cell technology and stem cells research.

●       The stem cells found in the bone marrow of an individual morph into three important types of cells, namely RBCs, WBCs and blood platelets. All these three cells are highly important owing to the functions they perform in the human body. The RBCs, which carry oxygen are responsible for maintaining not only oxygen supply to each and every cells but also carry carbon dioxide for removal. The White Blood Cells, on the other hand, are responsible for providing immunity against diseases. They also help in fighting germs and restricting bacterial infection on any wound and cuts. The blood platelets though helps in clotting of blood at the wound or cut site, which ensures less blood leakage and builds up the environment for antiseptics to work. All these highly important functions have one single origin called stem cells.
●       Stem cell banking of a child or even an adult can be done either in public cord blood banks or in private banks, both having their own conditions with pros and cons. Private cord blood banks charge a fee for the preservation of your child’s cord blood, which is divided into a one-time pay and annual maintenance charge. This gives the child’s family full rights over the preserved cell, which can be used in future on demand. The public cord blood banks require no fee but the individual or his/her family also have no right over the preserved cord blood. The preserved and harvested stem cells are available for use to anyone in need, just like what blood banks do.
●       The preserved stem cell of child has 100% chance of matching with himself/herself if ever needed for treatment and has 25%-75% chance of matching for his/her siblings, this is because just like blood transfusion, the infusion of stem cells in bone marrow or bloodstream needs genetic matching to work, in absence of which the body of the individual will develop immunity against the incoming stem cells. More the number of stem cells of siblings harvested, more will be the chances of matching among themselves.

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