What is Cord Tissue?
Cord tissue refers to the umbilical cord itself. Traditionally, it was discarded as medical waste after the baby is born. But now, we know that cord tissue is a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
MSCs have different capabilities than the hematopoietic stem cells from cord blood. They can rapidly divide and regenerate a variety of different cell types in our bodies, like muscles, nerves and cartilage.
How is Cord Tissue Collected?
As with cord blood, cord tissue is collected following birth. In the past, both cord blood and cord tissue used to be discarded as medical waste. When you choose to preserve your newborn’s cord tissue, your delivering healthcare provider will cut a segment of the umbilical cord and place the umbilical cord in a provided collection vessel.
Banking cord tissue does not impact your birthing process. It is a quick and painless procedure that will provide your child and your entire family with lifetime access to a valuable source of stem cells.
Benefits of Banking Cord Tissue
Cord tissue is a source of stem cells
Perfect match to your child, close match to family members
Explored in clinical trials to treat additional diseases and conditions
Many Clinical Trials Underway Exploring Future Potential
More than 1000 clinical trials are currently looking at using both cord blood and cord tissue stem cells as possible therapeutics. Hematopoietic stem cells from cord blood are being investigated for the use in treatment of diabetes, stroke and autism spectrum disorder. Additional clinical trials are examining the use of mesenchymal stem cells from cord tissue for treating osteoporosis, arthritis and brain injuries.
With the amazing progress being made in stem cell research, the list of diseases that can be targeted with cord blood and cord tissue stem cells in the future will continue to expand. It is highly like that many highly prevalent diseases of today such as diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s will be treated with cell therapies in the lifetime of your child.
Explore Clinical Trials
| LEUKEMIA | OTHER BLOOD CANCERS | METABOLIC DISORDERS | IMMUNE SYSTEM DISORDERS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute Biphenotypic Leukemia | Acute Myelofibrosis | Adrenoleukodystrophy | Ataxia-Telangiectasia |
| Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia | Agnogenic Myeloid Metaplasia | Beta-Glucuronidase Deficiency | Kostmann Syndrome |
| Acute Myelogenous Leukemia | Essential Thrombocythemia | Gaucher Disease | DiGeorge Syndrome |
| Acute Undifferentiated Leukemia | Hodgkin’s Disease | Hunter Syndrome | Bare Lymphocyte Syndrome |
| Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | Multiple Myeloma | Hurler Syndrome | Omenn Syndrome |
| Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia | Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma | Krabbe Disease | Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency |
| Juvenile Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia | Polycythemia Vera | Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome | Severe Combined Immunodeficiency |
| Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia | Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia | Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome | Common Variable Immunodeficiency |
| Plasma Cell Leukemia | Metachromatic Leukodystrophy | Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome | |
| Morquio Syndrome | X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome | ||
| Mucolipidosis II | |||
| Mucopolysaccharidoses | |||
| Niemann-Pick Disease | |||
| Osteoporosis | |||
| Sanfilippo Syndrome | |||
| Scheie Syndrome | |||
| Sly Syndrome | |||
| Wolman Disease |
| RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS | PHAGOCYTE DISORDERS | OTHER MALIGNANCIES | PLATELET DISORDERS | HISTIOCYTIC DISORDERS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aplastic Anemia | Chediak-Higashi Syndrome | Neuroblastoma | Amegakaryocytosis | Familial Erythrophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis |
| Beta Thalassemia Major | Chronic Granulomatous Disease | Renal Cell Carcinoma | Amegakaryocytosis | Histiocytosis-X |
| Fanconi Anemia | Neutrophil Actin Deficiency | Retinoblastoma | Hemophagocytosis | |
| Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria | Reticular Dysgenesis | |||
| Pure Red Cell Aplasia | ||||
| Sickle Cell Disease |
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