Stem cells from the umbilical cord

Stem cells from the umbilical cord - young, multipotent, and unpolluted

Stem cells are real all-rounders. The initial stem cell, namely the fertilized egg cell, develops into a whole human being. Stem cells proliferate and differentiate into more than 200 different cell types.

Stem cells age with us and can suffer damages from diseases and environmental influences. Stem cells from the umbilical cord are different. They are safely and easily extracted right after birth in a risk-free procedure for mother and child and frozen over liquid nitrogen at approx. minus 180 degrees Celsius by means of cryo-preservation, where they maintain their vital properties. They do not age and remain untroubled by environmental influences and diseases.

While umbilical cord blood contains a particularly large quantity of hematopoietic stem cells, i.e. blood stem cells, the jellylike tissue of the umbilical cord (so-called Wharton’s jelly) contains a great number of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). They are responsible for maintaining and regenerating connective tissue, bones, cartilages, and muscles and highly interesting to regenerative medicine.

 

Neonatal stem cells from the umbilical cord

During the last three months of pregnancy, the stem cells start to migrate; they let themselves drift with the blood stream into the bone marrow. This last migration is also the reason, why the blood circulation of the unborn child contains so many viable stem cells. The umbilical cord therefore contains millions of usually virus-free stem cells. They can be collected easily at birth without causing pain and are, other than embryonic stem cells, ethically unobjectionable. Due to their high development potential, they can become a variety of cell types. All new blood cells, the body’s natural immune system as well as other organ tissues can develop out of stem cells contained in umbilical cord.

 

Advantages of stem cells from the umbilical cord

  • Their collection is painless and completely safe for mother and child.
  • They are young, not damaged, and unpolluted.
  • They are able to develop into a multitude of cell types.
  • The potential of their application is versatile – in particular with regard to growing and regenerating damaged tissue.
stem-cells-from-the-umcilical-cord

Remember: Umbilical cord blood and the umbilical cord can be collected only right after the birth. Think of ordering a stem cell deposit in good time for the Vita 34 collection kit to reach you in time for the birth.

 

Vita 34 is the only biotech company in Germany licensed to collect not only stem cells from umbilical cord blood, but also stem cells from umbilical cord tissue and to secure them for the future in order to extract stem cells for therapeutic purposes.

The procedure developed by Vita 34 for the safe, GMP-compliant (Good Manufacturing Practice) cryo-preservation of the umbilical cord, is unique in the German-speaking countries and taps the full potential of the umbilical cord.

 

Stem cells from the umbilical cord are much too good to throw away

The umbilical cord, which is up to one meter long, is a unique reservoir of stem cells, which is still disposed of together with the afterbirth in the hospital waste much too often. Experts estimate that up to 95 percent of all umbilical cords are thrown away unused, although up to 200 milliliters of umbilical cord blood could be collected from each umbilical cord after it was cut. When umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord are stored, this precautionary stem cell deposit is available for a lifetime.

Comparison of stem cell sources

Comparison of stem cell sourcesNeonatal stem cellsAdult stem cellsEmbryonic stem cells
Ability to differentiate into different types of cellsYesYesYes
High capacity of proliferationYesNoYes
Low risk of tumor formationYesYesNo
Low risk of virus contaminationYesNoYes
Capacity for autologous graftingYesYesNo
Reliable treatment of human patientsYesYesNo
Comparison of the abilities of the different types of stem cells

More about the topic

Types and tasks of stem cells

Is each stem cell like the other? No, experts know different types of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells differ in their properties from adult stem cells, and omnipotent stem cells can do more than unipotent stem cells. And what is the difference again between mesenchymal stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells? Read the overview to learn all that.

Store or donate stem cells

Umbilical cord blood is much too good to throw away. That is why many parents want to store their offspring’s umbilical cord blood for the future. They are often faced with the question, whether to donate their child’s stem cells publicly or store them privately to take individual precautions. Vita 34 offers parents the option VitaPlusDonation to combine both possibilities.

Application of stem cells

Stem cells stored with Vita 34 have been applied successfully [anwendungen] times. They were applied in the treatment of cancers such as leukemia and neuroblastoma, hematopoietic disorders like aplastic anemia or beta thalassemia, immune defects like SCID or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, infantile brain damage and infantile diabetes type 1. Numerous clinical studies are being conducted worldwide researching the suitability of stem cells for the regeneration of damaged tissues after accidents or for cancer treatment.

Compare products and prices

As a precaution, store either the umbilical cord blood or the umbilical cord tissue after the birth of your child. We offer both at different prices and terms. Also a financing is possible. Optionally, you can also donate the umbilical cord blood.

Compare products and prices

Storing cord blood and cord tissue

Hello. Do you need further information?

Our guidebook for parents contains comprehensive information on the subject of cord blood storage. Order the guidebook by mail at no charge and without any obligation.

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