More about future possibilities, regenerative medicine and cell expansion technology
The independent articles identified below are written by doctors, scientists and other people outside Virgin Health Bank. Whilst we can answer your questions about Virgin Health Bank, we’re not able to comment on work done or things written by other people. These references don’t necessarily represent our views at Virgin Health Bank – they’re intended to help you understand stem cell storage. Thousands of other references exist that aren’t included here, and our comments on each reference are just to give you some useful pointers, they are not complete summaries of each article.
Identification of stem cells from human umbilical cord blood with embryonic and hematopoietic characteristics
Zhao Y, Wang, Honglan; Mazzone, Theodore
Exp Cell Res. 2006 Aug 1;312(13):2454–64. Epub 2006 Apr 26
This laboratory study found that there are stem cells in umbilical cord blood that can behave like embryonic stem cells by changing into cells that behaved like adult nerve cells and pancreas cells. Some scientists believe that cord blood stem cells could be used in the same ways as embryonic stem cells which they say could overcome the ethical issues that accompany embryonic stem cells.
The key role of adult stem cells: therapeutic perspectives
Pessina Augusto, Gribaldo Laura
Current medical research and opinion 2006 Nov;22(11):2287–300
This paper reviews the ‘pro’s and ‘con’s of different kinds of stem cell, and talks about the possible future promise adult stem cells show for regenerative medicine in the repair of blood cells, skin, bone, cartilage and heart muscle. It is an interesting review that provides one point of view about stem cells, and will help you to understand some of the challenges that scientists face in developing new stem cell treatments.
The REGENERATE (Heart Stem Cell) Trial at Barts and The London NHS Trust
Doctors at Barts and The London NHS Trust have launched the UK’s first large-scale clinical trial designed to find out if a patient’s own stem cells can be used to treat heart disease. Whilst this clinical trial does not use cord blood stem cells, there are many similarities between bone marrow stem cells and cord blood stem cells, and as discussed in other links on this page, some scientists believe that cord blood stem cells may be useful for treating heart diseases in the future.
Umbilical cord blood cells engraft and differentiate in cardiac tissues after human transplantation
Crapnell, K
Blood, Volume 102, issue 11
This paper from the USA discusses an early case (2003) of stem cells from umbilical cord blood that were given to a child to treat a rare disease called MPS III. The researchers discovered that stem cells had moved to the child’s heart were they had changed into heart muscle and blood vessel cells. They suggest that cord blood stem cells may be able to play a role in repairing heart tissue in people that suffer from this disease. This is an example of a study that suggests that one day we may be able to use umbilical cord blood stem cells to treat heart diseases.
Human cord blood cells induce angiogenesis following myocardial infarction in NOD/scid-mice
Ma N, Stamm, Christof; Kaminski, Alexander; Li, Wenzhong; Kleine, Hans-Dieter; Müller-Hilke, Brigitte; Zhang, Li; Ladilov, Yuri; Egger, Dietmar; Steinhoff, Gustav
Cardiovasc Res. 2005 Apr 1;66(1):45–54. Epub 2005 Jan 19
This animal study from 2005 is another that found that human umbilical cord blood stem cells may be useful for the treatment of heart disease.
Parkinson's disease mice and human umbilical cord blood
Ende N, Chen, Ruifeng
J Med. 2002;33(1-4):173–80
In this animal study from 2002, mice treated with human umbilical cord blood stem cells developed Parkinson’s disease more slowly than mice that were not treated with the cells. This raises the possibility that umbilical cord blood stem cells may be useful in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in humans.
Stroke-induced migration of human umbilical cord blood cells: time course and cytokines
Newman MB, Willing, Alison E; Sanberg, Paul R; Manresa, John J; Davis-Sanberg, Cyndy
Stem Cells Dev. 2005 Oct;14(5):576–86
This early animal study from 2005 examined the role that human umbilical cord blood stem cells might play in the treatment of stroke, and showed that human umbilical cord blood stem cells might be used to extend the time after a stoke that other treatments are effective.
Adult stem cells and tissue repair
Korbling M, Champlin, R; Estrov, Z
Bone Marrow Transplant. 2003 Aug;32 Suppl 1:S23–4
This article discusses the advantages that adult stem cells including cord blood stem cells could have in future treatments to repair damaged tissues. It is a useful background review that will help you to understand some of the issues that scientists are working on to develop new stem cell therapies.
The human umbilical cord blood: a potential source for osteoblast progenitor cells
Rosada C, Justesen, J; Melsvik, D; Ebbesen, P; Kassem, M
Calcif Tissue Int. 2003 Feb;72(2):135–42. Epub 2002 Dec 4
In this study in the laboratory, researchers found that there are stem cells in human umbilical cord blood that can be made to change into fat cells and bone cells which may be useful in the future for treating various diseases were these types of cells are affected.
Shockwave stimulates oxygen radical-mediated osteogenesis of the mesenchymal cells from human umbilical cord blood
Wang FS, Yang, Kuender D; Wang, Ching-Jen; Huang, Hui-Cheng; Chio, Chi-Chian; Hsu, Te-Yao; Ou, Chia-Yu
J Bone Miner Res. 2004 Jun;19(6):973–82. Epub 2004 Jan 19
This study showed that mesenchymal stem cells found in human umbilical cord blood can be made to change into cells that make bone by applying shockwaves to them. If umbilical cord blood stem cells are going to be used to treat diseases were new bone is needed (e.g. osteoporosis) techniques such as this may be useful.
Cultured human epithelium: human umbilical cord blood stem cells differentiate into keratinocytes under in vitro conditions
Kamolz LP, Kolbus, A; Wick, N; Mazal, P R; Eisenbock, B; Burjak, S; Meissl, G
Burns. 2006 Feb;32(1):16–9. Epub 2005 Dec 20
In this study, stem cells found in human skin were grown in the laboratory to create sheets of skin. These sheets could be useful for treating people who need skin grafts, after a burn or a skin disease for example. Whilst the stem cells used were not from umbilical cord blood, other research has shown that umbilical cord blood contains stem cells that can be made to change into skin cells amongst other types of cell. Using your own cells for a treatment like this means that the tissue grown is a perfect genetic match to your own, and so the tissue will not be ‘rejected’ after transplant.
Human umbilical cord blood as a source of transplantable hepatic progenitor cells
Kakinuma S, Tanaka, Yujiro; Chinzei, Ryoko; Watanabe, Mamoru; Shimizu-Saito, Keiko; Hara, Yuzuru; Teramoto, Kenichi; Arii, Shigeki; Sato, Chifumi; Takase, Kozo; Yasumizu, Takehiko; Teraoka, Hirobumi
Stem Cells. 2003;21(2):217–27
This study showed that there are stem cells in umbilical cord blood that can change into liver cells. Other studies have shown the same, which could mean in the future it is possible to grow replacement liver cells to treat diseased or damaged liver tissue.
Transplantation of ex vivo expanded cord blood
Shpall EJ, Quinones, Ralph; Giller, Roger; Zeng, Chan; Baron, Anna E; Jones, Roy B; Bearman, Scott I; Nieto, Yago; Freed, Brian; Madinger, Nancy; Hogan, Christopher J; Slat-Vasquez, Vicki; Russell, Peggy; Blunk, Betsy; Schissel, Deborah; Hild, Elaine; Malcolm, Janet; Ward, William; McNiece, Ian K
Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2002;8(7):368–76
This study from 2002 showed that it is possible to expand particular umbilical cord blood stem cells in the laboratory and then use them to treat patients. Expanding cells means multiplying them so that there are more cells available. Some uses for umbilical cord blood stem cells rely on being able to do this, and many researchers around the world are working on ways to achieve this.
A new human somatic stem cell from placental cord blood with intrinsic pluripotent differentiation potential
Kogler G, Sensken, Sandra; Airey, Judith A; Trapp, Thorsten; Müschen, Markus; Feldhahn, Niklas; Liedtke, Stefanie; Sorg, Rüdiger V; Fischer, Johannes; Rosenbaum, Claudia; Greschat, Susanne; Knipper, Andreas; Bender, Jörg; Degistirici, Ozer; Gao, Jizong; Caplan, Arnold I; Colletti, Evan J; Almeida-Porada, Graça; Müller, Hans W; Zanjani, Esmail; Wernet, Peter
J Exp Med. 2004 Jul 19;200(2):123–35.
This study from 2004 found that human umbilical cord blood stem cells could be successfully expanded (increasing the number of cells) and then transplanted. The transplanted cells changed into cells that behaved like bone cells, cartilage cells, blood forming (haematopoietic) cells, nerve cells, liver cells and heart cells. This is promising evidence for the development of regenerative medicine, which will depend on being able to expand stem cells and then make them change into the type of tissue needed.