Main description:

Cord blood is a significant source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells for the treatment of blood and genetic disorders. Cord blood is also an alternative to embryos as a source of tissue for regenerative medicine. Cells from cord blood have been shown to transdifferentiate into nonhematopoietic cells, including those of the brain, heart, liver, pancreas, bone, and cartilage, in tissue culture and in animal systems. Recently it has been demonstrated that both cardiac and glial cell differentiation of cord blood donor cells occurred in recipients of unrelated donor cord blood transplantation as part of a treatment regime for Krabbe disease and Sanfilippo syndrome. These observations raise the possibility that cord blood may serve as a source of cells to facilitate tissue repair and regeneration in the future. CD34 stem cell-rich umbilical cord whole blood transfusion has the potential to have an immediate benefit of better tissue oxygenation with an additional delayed benefit of possible engraftment of umbilical cord stem cells.

Contents:

Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell (Basic Science).- Placental and Pregnancy Stem Cells.- Cord Blood Stem Cells - The Basic Science.- Stem Cells from Umbilical Cord Blood.- Ex Vivo Expansion of Cord Blood.- Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Applications in Cell and Gene Therapy.- Non-hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells Derived From Human Umbilical Cord Blood.- Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation.- Cord Blood Transplantation for Pediatric Non-Malignant Conditions.- Cord Blood Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies.- Double Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation in Adults.- Transfusion of Cord Blood.- Placental Umbilical Cord Whole Blood Transfusion: A True Blood Substitute to Combat Anemia in the Background of Chronic Disease - A Study Report (1999-2006).- Umbilical Cord Blood Therapy in Neurology.- Cord Blood: Opportunities and Challenges for the Reconstructive Surgeon.- Umbilical Cord Blood Transfusion - A Clinical Overview.- Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking.- Establishment of the UK Stem Cell Bank and Its Role in Stem Cell Science.- Cord Blood Allogeneic and Autologous Banking.- Potential Engineering Application of Cord Blood.- Possibilities of Using Cord Blood for Improving the Biocompatibility of Implants.- Potential of Stem Cell to Tailor the Bone-Ceramic Interface for Better Fixation of Orthopedic Implants.- Ethics.- Some Aspects of the Ethics of Stem Cell Research.