Umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) has been widely used as an alternative source of hematopoietic cell support for stem cell transplant patients. CBT offers several advantages over traditional stem cell sources, such as immediate availability, absence of risk for donors, lower risk of acute graft-versus-host disease, and a less stringent requirement for human leukocyte antigen matching....

Interest in umbilical cord blood as an alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells is growing rapidly. Umbilical cord blood offers the clinician a source of hematopoietic stem cells that are readily available and rarely contaminated by latent viruses. Moreover, the collection of umbilical cord blood poses no risk to the donor; there is no need for general anesthesia or blood replacement, and...

Among blood preparations, serum has been topically used in the management of various ocular diseases in ophthalmology. Like peripheral blood serum, umbilical cord blood serum contains a high concentration of essential tear components, growth factors, neurotrophic factors, vitamin A, fibronectin, prealbumin, and oil. Umbilical cord serum can provide basic nutrients for epithelial renewal and can...

We report a rare case of an umbilical cord hemangioma. The umbilical cord consisted of Capillaries and cavernous blood vessels and the hemangioma stressed umbilical arteries and vein. At 40 weeks of gestation, it resulted in intrauterine death of the fetus. Microscopically, there were lots of vessels with various thicknesses in the umbilical cord. Autopsy shows evidences of smothering. These fi...

BACKGROUND Mesenchymal stromal cells are employed in various different clinical settings in order to modulate immune response. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms responsible for their immunomodulatory effects, which could be influenced by both the cell source and culture conditions. DESIGN AND METHODS We tested the ability of a 5% platelet lysate-supplemented medium to s...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the risks and benefits of umbilical cord blood banking for future stem cell transplantation and to provide guidelines for Canadian perinatal care providers regarding the counselling, procedural, and ethical implications of this potential therapeutic option. OPTIONS Selective or routine collection and storage of umbilical cord blood for future autologous (self) or allogen...

I t is our anticipation and hope that stem cells will cure type 1 diabetes someday because of their limitless capacity to differentiate as needed into the vital tissue or organ. In theory, pluripotent cells have the capacity to reprogram a hostile immune response to tolerate pancreatic -cells and to regenerate pancreatic -cell mass. These two factors are the necessary ingredients for reversing ...

1. It has been suggested that lowdose prenatal mercury exposure as measured by umbilical cord blood mercury concentrations of >29 nmol/L causes adverse long-term neurocognitive outcomes. 2. Of 608 children, 491 (81%) had umbilical cord blood mercury concentrations of >29 nmol/L. However, umbilical cord blood mercury concentrations were associated with only two out of 23 neurocognitive subtests....