Why Bank Adult Stem Cells

Why bank adult stem cells

The collection and storage of adult stem cells from a healthy individual is an elective procedure. It is an opportunity that an individual should know about, and we would like to give you all the facts so that you can make your own informed decision. The collection and storage of stem cells is done safely on a daily basis by thousands of healthy individuals who donate their own stem cells to a related or unrelated patient who is suffering from a disorder of the blood or an immune deficiency state. The process by which the stem cells are collected is the same as when a blood donor goes to the blood bank to donate platelets. This process is called apheresis. The difference in the case of a healthy individual donating stem cells is that they are given a medication, which is injected subcutaneously for five days. The stem cells are then collected (by arm veins in most cases) using the apheresis machine.

The opportunity now exists for a healthy individual to collect and store their own stem cells for their own personal use in the future, should they need it. The idea is not new since, for many years, parents have collected and stored the adult stem cells from cord blood for their baby’s future use, should they need it.

Transplanted stem cells are used on a daily basis and adult stem cells have been in use since the early 60’s for blood disorders. Today, they are used to treat over 80 illnesses, mainly cancers of the blood, such as leukemias, lymphomas, multiple myelomas, and from matched donors to treat sickle cell anemia and beta thalassemia.

Many stem cell experts and transplant physicians believe that there will be breakthroughs in the future, and these will be helpful particularly to those individuals who have their own adult stem cells, which have been collected and stored. This is known as the emerging field of regenerative medicine.

Adult Stem Cells

All cell types in the human body originate from a group of stem cells in the early development in the mothers womb. Specialized cells are then formed from various stem cells in early development to form every organ of the body. There are certain cells in the human body that are constantly regenerating tissues throughout life, such as blood, nerves, muscle, and skin. These cells are adult stem cells. Stem cells are capable of replicating themselves, or differentiating into a variety of specialized cell types.

Most adult stem cells are located deep within organ tissue, which means that they are surrounded by many ordinary cells. They regenerate specific tissue when those cells in the body need to be replenished. Adult stem cells are found most often in organs which require a consistent cell supply, including blood, skin, and the gut lining.

Adult stem cells are specialized cells, meaning that they only give rise to a limited cell type. Scientists believe that there is a way to stimulate adult stem cells to be more flexible, so that they would be able to give rise to unspecialized cells.