Before we head on to discuss the pros and cons of stem cell research let us discuss what stem cell is.
Cord blood stem cell research pros cons.
Modern medical research is more centered towards the treatment of advanced and complex diseases such as aids and cancer through stem cells study.
Stem cells are the unspecialized biological cells present in adults as well as during the prenatal period of embryos during pregnancy.
Private cord blood banks on the other hand.
Stem cell transplants are one of the most promising treatments for certain conditions and illnesses.
How long can blood forming stem cells last when properly stored.
Webmd investigates the pros and cons.
Blood forming stem cells that have been stored for more than a decade have been used successfully in transplants.
Two recent developments from stem cell research involve the heart and the blood it pumps.
There are three types of stem cells those from bone marrow blood and an umbilical cord.
Storing your cord blood for research purposes will enable scientists to make more progress towards treatments.
In 2016 researchers in scotland began working on the possibility of generating red blood cells from stem cells in order to create a large supply of blood for transfusions.
In theory stem cells should last forever but cord blood research only began in the 1970s so the maximum time for storage and potential usage is still being determined.
Current research says the stored blood may only be.
It would also be in the stem cells.
Donating that cord blood to a public bank will allow many others to use it often for the purposes of seeing if stem cell treatment will make a difference in their condition.
Stem cells are present in our body in abundance but they have much more potential in the fetus than adults.
At public cord blood banks a unit of stored cord blood has a greater chance of being used to help a sick child or used toward stem cell research.
They are a kind of non specialized cells that can potentially create other particular cells like brain blood muscle or tissue cells.
The bank may also use the donated cord blood for research.
The goal for all three kinds of transplants is to give patients stem cells that will grow into healthy blood cells.