Cord Blood
Cleaning The Blood From The Cord
Nowadays the stem cells transplant in starting to be used on a large scale in order to treat various diseases. It is important to know that many lives have been saved in the process and to acknowledge the importance that these cells have in modern treatment. This is why the fact that the cells are right for the receiver is very important.
In many cases the compatibility is not an issue as the donor and the receiver are often relatives so they may match at all levels. In many cases these stems cells are extracted from what we call Cord Blood. This is actually blood found in the umbilical cord of the baby and it is really easy to harvest and to keep for a long time. The blood is actually a cocktail that contains both useful stem cells and many useless and even dangerous things. One of these things is the red cells that can be found in a great number.
If the red cells are mixed with the stem ones in the process of transplant then we may have an issue. The thing is that a relative with a different blood type may suffer complication that will affect their life. In this case the red cells have to be depleted. The process is a difficult one and many techniques are applied. However if the stem cells are clean of the red ones they may be used successfully. If they still have red cells then they cannot be used properly for treatment.