The results so far are mixed: some results suggest that ex vivo expansion reduces the time taken for new blood cells to appear in the body after transplantation however, adult patients still appear to need blood from two umbilical cords. Several preliminary clinical trials using this technique are underway. Much research is focused on trying to increase the number of HSCs that can be obtained from one cord blood sample by growing and multiplying the cells in the laboratory. Some researchers have also tried to increase the total number of HSCs obtained from each umbilical cord by collecting additional blood from the placenta. Results of clinical trials into double cord blood transplants (in place of bone marrow transplants) have shown the technique to be very successful. This serious complication has been partially overcome by transplanting blood from two umbilical cords into larger children and adults. A transplant containing too few HSCs may fail or could lead to slow formation of new blood in the body in the early days after transplantation. Scientists believe this is the main reason that treating adult patients with cord blood is so difficult: adults are larger and need more HSCs than children. No therapies for non-blood-related diseases have yet been developed using HSCs from either cord blood or adult bone marrow.Ī major limitation of cord blood transplantation is that the blood obtained from a single umbilical cord does not contain as many haematopoeitic stem cells as a bone marrow donation. Cord blood can also only be used to treat blood diseases. Current studies are being done to expand a single cord blood unit for use in adults. Clinical trials using "double cord blood transplantation" for adults have demonstrated outcomes similar to use of other sources of HSCs, such as bone marrow or mobilized peripheral blood. Treatment of adults with cord blood typically requires two units of cord blood to treat one adult. However, cord blood transplants also have limitations. This means that cord blood does not need to be as perfectly matched to the patient as bone marrow (though some matching is still necessary). It also seems to be less likely than bone marrow to cause immune rejection or complications such as Graft versus Host Disease. It is easier to collect than bone marrow and can be stored frozen until it is needed. In this way, cord blood offers a useful alternative to bone marrow transplants for some patients. The cord blood is transplanted into the patient, where the HSCs can make new, healthy blood cells to replace those damaged by the patient’s disease or by a medical treatment such as chemotherapy for cancer. Cord blood is used to treat children with cancerous blood disorders such as leukaemia, or genetic blood diseases like Fanconi anaemia.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |