The umbilical cord provides the developing fetus with oxygen and all nutrients. The umbilical cord is actually the roadway the mother uses to supply her child with all life-sustaining goods. However, the umbilical cord blood also contains molecules and cells, which are produced by the child's organism. In the last trimester of the pregnancy, a major migration occurs in the child's body: the blood generating stem cells, which were originally located in the liver and in the spleen, are moving into the child's bone marrow slowly but surely. This process is already complete when the child is born, however, residue from the migration remains in the blood for some time after the birth - and is therefore also present in the umbilical cord blood: stem cells.

What makes umbilical cord blood so fascinating is that it apparently does not only contain blood generating, but also other stem cells: to date, evidence of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells and an undifferentiated cell population, which most recently were declared to be unrestrigent somatic stem cells (USSC) by researchers at the University of Düsseldorf, was found as well. Upon addition of certain growth factors, these cells can actually evolve in different cells of all three germ layers , i.e. they are pluripotent. These latest findings give rise to the hope that in the future even more diseases than the ones currently known may be treated with the assistance of umbilical cord blood stem cells.

Why Do Humans Need Stem Cells?
The human organism fundamentally needs stem cells for all growth and regeneration processes, given that stem cells can divide themselves with an incredible frequency and can actually convert themselves into different types of cells (i.e. they differentiate themselves). The whole human body evolves from embryonic stem cells, i.e. cells that develop shortly after the egg has been fertilized by the sperm. However, after just a few days, these cells lose the capability to convert into any body cell imaginable: over time they specialize more and more and take over functions such as the forwarding of information via electrical impulses (nerve cells) or the production of hormones, such as insulin (beta cells in the pancreas).

Some cells do, however, remain stem cells in the furthest sense of the word, i.e. they do not lose the ability to reproduce in virtually unlimited quantities and to differentiate themselves into different cell types. These adult stem cells provide by body's natural repair and regeneration system and are part of virtually any type of body tissue, such as for instance the skin, fat deposits or the liver.

The Benefits of Freeze-Storing Stem Cells from the Umbilical Cord Blood Bone marrow stem cells age along with the human body; while time stands still for stem cells harvested from the umbilical cord blood - thanks to the technology of freezing them. All aging processes are suspended and the cells maintain the youthful state they were in at the time of birth.

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood:

• Have the capability of still differentiating themselves into various cell types (although they are adult stem cells).

• Are younger and more vital than stem cells generated from the bone marrow of more mature individuals.

• Have fewer mature surface anti-genes than older stem cells from the bodies of children or adults. Consequently, the probability of these stem cells not being rejected by the bodies of siblings or other close relatives is much higher than it is with bone marrow donations.

• Are virtually virus free (thanks to the filtering functions of the placenta).

• Have already been proven suitable for the treatment of numerous diseases.

• Are completely unproblematic in their application from an ethical standpoint (unlike embryonic stem cells).

• Can be isolated without causing pain to mother and child.

• Are immediately available.

• Can be stored for at least 15 years without losing any of their functions; and the possible storage time is very likely much longer.

If used autologuously, i.e. if the cells are used for the patient himself or herself, they do not cause any rejection reactions, which may occur if third party cells and organs are transplanted.