Posted by Ellen on December 31, 2002 at 06:12:55:
In Reply to: umbilical cord posted by Mark on December 29, 2002 at 20:48:43:
Tue, Dec 31 2002 8:03 PM AEDT
Frozen umbilical cord stem cells still viable after 15 years: study
Residual blood stem cells from a newborn's umbilical cord can be stored for at least 15 years, a study released in the United States shows.
The study, due to appear in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAM), suggests these cells could be used successfully to treat patients even after being frozen for 15 years.
Previous studies had suggested the limit was three to five years.
Over 100,000 umbilical cords are currently stored in cord blood stem cell banks around the world, the first author of the study and a microbiology professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Hal Broxemeyer, said.
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells able to produce specialised cells, such as those of the blood, liver or muscles.
It is thought they may eventually be able to repair damaged organs or reverse illnesses that are now incurable such as cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases.
Residual blood from the umbilical cord contains stem cells that can develop into bone marrow cells and restore the bone marrow of cancer patients.