Why is cord blood stored? Preservation of cord blood. How cord blood is collected

Girls, today I read an article about cord blood sampling for stem cells.

Cord blood preservation: why and how?

Among the many activities that are offered to pregnant women, the collection and storage of umbilical cord blood stands apart. The essence of the procedure is as follows: immediately after childbirth, blood is obtained from the umbilical cord, which belonged to the fetus. The cells isolated from it are frozen and stored in a special bank until they are required.

The value of cord blood lies in the fact that it contains biologically active stem cells, and therefore is well suited for the needs of cell therapy and transplantation.

Cord blood banks are divided into nominal ones - they store the blood of those children whose parents have entered into an appropriate contract, and register banks created on the basis of gratuitous donation. Any person who needs cord blood for treatment can apply to the register bank. However, the problem is that it can be very difficult to find the right blood: it is necessary to match the main antigenic systems, otherwise foreign cells will cause a rejection reaction in the patient. Unfortunately, in Russia, the collection of register banks is quite poor, so you often have to look for blood abroad, which takes time (from 6 months to a year) and a lot of money (from 15,000 Euros). A possible way out of this situation is to store your own blood at birth: it will always be available and, if necessary, ideal for transplantation.

Why is cord blood valuable?

Cord blood is rich in hematopoietic stem cells, i.e. progenitor cells of blood elements. They are used for transplantation when their own hematopoiesis is disturbed: with leukemia, severe disorders of the immune system and other diseases. Opponents of cord blood storage reasonably note that such pathologies, although life-threatening, are rare. However, on the other hand, in the future it is assumed that stem cells will be used for a wider range of indications. In any case, thousands of cord blood transplants have already been successfully performed, saving the lives of patients with previously considered incurable diseases.

Cord blood is not the only source of hematopoietic cells, but it has a number of advantages: easy and safe collection, youth, and therefore high functional activity of stem cells and immunological compatibility. In order to use pre-prepared blood, it takes from several days to several weeks.

Cord blood from a newborn can be used to treat other family members. Successful transplants have been documented in parents, grandparents, and even cousins. However, children of the same parents with many children have the greatest chance of being compatible.

To save or not to save cord blood, each parent decides depending on their financial situation and how necessary they consider this procedure. It should be taken into account that cord blood sampling is especially indicated for those children whose families have experienced severe diseases of the hematopoietic system or already have sick children who can be cured with umbilical cord blood of a brother or sister, as well as ethnic minorities who find it difficult to find a compatible donor in international banks - registers.

How is cord blood collected?

After the baby is born, the midwife ties and cuts the umbilical cord. Then the maternal end of the umbilical cord is treated with a sterile solution and blood is taken from the umbilical vein with a needle into a special sterile container with an anticoagulant. Cord blood is usually small, about 80 ml, so it is advisable to additionally extract all the blood in the placenta.

The procedure is completely painless and takes a few minutes. It can be performed both during normal childbirth and during a caesarean section. Moreover, in case of multiple pregnancies, it is technologically possible to collect cord blood from each of the children.

How are stem cells isolated?

Not later than one day after the sampling, the sample enters the bank. Before sending blood for storage, it must be carefully processed. First, the sample is checked for infections, the blood type and Rh factor are determined, then they are “processed”, that is, a stem cell concentrate is obtained. With the help of a special device, excess plasma and almost all red blood cells are removed. The resulting concentrate is analyzed under a microscope to determine cell viability. The next stage is cell freezing, which should not lead to their death. For this purpose, a cryoprotectant is added to prevent the formation of "sharp, cell-tearing" ice crystals. Then the concentrate is smoothly frozen to -90°C and placed in quarantine storage (liquid nitrogen vapor, -150°C), where they are until the moment when the results of all analyzes are ready. Finally, after about 20 days, the samples are transferred to permanent storage (liquid nitrogen, -196°C).

The output is from 5 to 7 tubes of concentrate. In addition to the main tubes, several satellite tubes are prepared - they contain the minimum volume of plasma and cells sufficient for analysis. For example, if the owner of the blood wants to use it for his relative and needs to check for compatibility, it will not be necessary to thaw the main sample - it will be enough to remove the satellite tube.

How are stem cells stored?

Cord blood cells are stored in special containers with liquid nitrogen in a separate room located deep underground. The low temperature is maintained by a special automated system that continuously monitors the level of liquid nitrogen. It will work even if the central power supply is turned off. The cord blood bank is guarded around the clock.

Studies show that in this state, the cells remain practically intact for many years. Even now there is no doubt that they do not lose their properties in 15-17 years. Theoretically, frozen cells can be stored indefinitely.

Who owns stem cells?

Until the child reaches the age of majority, the supply of cord blood cells belongs to his parent or the person specified in the storage agreement. After the age of majority, the child himself becomes the owner.

How much does the contract cost?

In order to collect, isolate and freeze cord blood cells, you will have to pay a one-time fee of about 2000 Euros. In the future, storage of the sample will cost 3,000 rubles per year (the amount is prescribed in the contract and subsequently does not change).

What should you do if you want to save cord blood?

At any stage of pregnancy, you need to be tested for infections and conclude an agreement. Then, bank employees will deliver a personalized kit with a unique barcode to the maternity hospital in advance, arrange with the doctor and midwife, and ensure the collection and delivery of blood to the bank, where stem cells will be isolated from it.

It does not matter whether paid or free births or caesarean sections are supposed. If a woman is delivered by ambulance with contractions to the nearest maternity hospital, you should call the 24-hour telephone and report your location - the bank employees will agree with the doctors.

Has anyone used this service? Is she worth it or not? Who gave birth in TsPSiRe, were you offered this service?

According to statistics, about 200 million births occur annually in the world, during which about 20 thousand tons of umbilical cord blood are destroyed. Although many doctors claim that it is extremely valuable. Today, propaganda for the preservation of cord blood has begun to develop actively, and more and more often young parents sign contracts for its cryopreservation in order to have a kind of “insurance” for the child in the future. After all, it is believed that with the help of stem cells, which are part of it, it is possible to cure almost all diseases, including the storm of today - oncology. How exactly cord blood works and why stem cells are taken in maternity hospitals - in the material of AiF.ru.

Easier reactions, fewer infections

According to doctors, cord blood and the stem cells in it are much better and healthier than other types of blood. True, we are most often talking about its demand for severe pathologies that require, for example, long-term serious treatment or transplantation. The advantages of own stem cells are:

• Less risk of transmission of latent viral infections
• Less frequency and severity of graft-versus-host disease
• No risk to the donor, etc.

Stem cells appear in the embryo from the very beginning of its formation in the womb. At first, they are the internal cell mass, from which all human tissues and organs are later formed. Such cells divide very quickly and turn into 350 different types of cells. Their main property is to protect the body from various pathological microorganisms. As soon as they receive a signal of an "attack", they are sent to the lesion and turn into additional cells of the organ or tissues that fight the infection. Thus, they can help restore balance and replace damaged body parts.

But there is also a minus: over time, stem cells lose their efficiency and weaken, it becomes more difficult for them to deal with stress. And this is where pre-prepared backup options can come to the rescue.

The highest quality concentrate

Today it is considered most correct to take blood from infants. After all, their stem cells are still “fresh”, not deformed and not “tired”. The process of taking blood from the umbilical cord, which, in principle, no one needs after childbirth, since it has already fulfilled its purpose, is automated. Therefore, doctors at the output receive a concentrated composition rich in high quality stem cells. The viability of cells after such isolation, as studies show, is 99.9%. For the procedure, parents are given an individual set, which can be given in their hands or immediately delivered to the maternity hospital. The collected blood can even be transported to other regions: the conditions will need to be negotiated with the personnel of the cryobank.

Next comes the cryopreservation procedure. After all, this is the only way to save blood and cells for a long time. If necessary, it remains only to defrost them and carry out treatment. According to experts, therapy with such a remedy has been carried out in the world for 15 years. In the list of areas in which they fight diseases through such treatment:

• Oncology
• Hematology
• Gastroenterology
• Genetics
• Gynecology
• Dermatology
• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Ophthalmology
• Urology
• Phlebology
• Surgery
• Endocrinology

How are cells stored?

Before storing cells, they must be prepared for freezing. To do this, they are placed in special cryocontainers, which are plastic bags or test tubes. What exactly will be used is determined by the amount of material. Each stem cell sample must be labeled and a unique code consisting of numbers or strokes is used for this. Later, all information is entered into a special database and duplicated, so that the probability of errors is 100% eliminated.

Stem cells are soft-frozen in special facilities that maintain the optimal cooling rate and allow them to maintain their maximum viability.

Containers with cells after freezing are placed in separate boxes and immersed in liquid nitrogen. Thus, they are protected from external influences so that they retain their activity for a long period of time. The electronic sensors that are in the storage facilities are responsible for monitoring the level of nitrogen around the clock without interruption.

It should be borne in mind that such a procedure is not from the category of cheap ones. So, on average, the cost of cord blood sampling is 70,000 rubles. And subsequent storage is determined by the conditions of different cryobanks, but on average, each month will cost 10,000 rubles.

A radical method of treating many severe hematological diseases is that isolated from bone marrow or blood tissue. It is possible to carry it out by searching for a suitable donor, which is quite difficult. The probability of the existence of an unrelated donor compatible in terms of HLA antigenic composition is 1:100,000. This requires entire registries of typed donors, numbering several hundred thousand people. Cord blood collection helps to partially solve this problem.

Clinical use

Blood derived from the placenta is a rich source of hematopoietic cells. The concentration of colony-forming units in it significantly exceeds their amount in the blood of an adult, even after stimulation with growth factors. It approaches in its composition to the bone marrow tissue. Therefore, stem cells contained in cord blood can be successfully used in hematology for the treatment of the following diseases:

• myelodysplastic syndromes;
• some congenital diseases (hereditary hemoglobinopathies, Barr's syndrome, etc.).

Transplantation of hematopoietic cells derived from placental blood is a promising area in medicine, which is already used in neurology (consequences of injuries, degenerative diseases of the nervous system), rheumatology (diffuse), oncology and other industries.

The effectiveness of such treatment is determined by:

• timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease;
• the degree of histocompatibility (according to the HLA system) of the donor and recipient;
• the age of the patient (gives good results in children under 5 years old);
• the number of transplanted stem cells (if there are few of them, then the risk of recurrence of the pathological process or graft failure increases).

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Cord blood is obtained during childbirth through the natural birth canal or by caesarean section. At the stage of planning the procedure, a pregnant woman is comprehensively examined and diseases of an infectious nature are excluded from her (, etc.).

In preparation for childbirth, a system for blood sampling is prepared under aseptic conditions. It consists of a special container with hemopreservative and a device for taking blood.

In normal vaginal delivery, blood sampling can be carried out in two ways:

• If the placenta is in the uterine cavity and has not yet separated, then blood exfusion is performed after clamping the umbilical cord and separating the newborn from the fetal site. To do this, the umbilical cord is carefully treated with antiseptic solutions, after which the umbilical vein is punctured, placing a container for collecting material 50-70 cm below the abdomen of the woman in labor, so that blood flows into it spontaneously.
• If the placenta has already been isolated from the uterine cavity, then it is placed on a special frame with the fetal part down, then the umbilical cord vein is also processed and punctured, after which blood is obtained into a container.

An additional 10 ml of blood is taken from the umbilical cord artery for the initial stage of the examination for belonging to a blood group and hidden infections.

After the end of the procedure, the container is disconnected and transported to the cord blood bank in a special refrigerator or additional container protected from temperature changes. At the same time, the duration of storage of blood with hemoconservative before its fractionation should not exceed 24 hours. Otherwise, the stem cells die.

Stem cell storage

Isolation of hematopoietic cells from cord blood is carried out under aseptic conditions.

• For this, the blood is subjected to centrifugation at high speeds, as a result of which plasma is separated from it.
• After that, the sedimentation of erythrocytes is started by adding a sedimenting agent (gelatin, hydroxyethyl starch).
• The resulting cell suspension is mixed with saline and centrifuged twice.
• Then, using a syringe, the cell sediment is separated and prepared for freezing and long-term storage.

Stem cells obtained from cord blood are stored at low temperatures in a frozen state:

• in refrigerators with a temperature of -80 degrees (up to 6 months);
• in liquid nitrogen vapor at a temperature of -150 degrees (several years);
• in containers with liquid nitrogen and a temperature of -196 degrees (more than 20 years).

To freeze the cell suspension, it is pre-cooled to +4 degrees in an ice bath or in a refrigerator. Then this suspension is collected with a syringe and transferred to a canning bag, adding a protective solution drop by drop, after which the bag is sealed and placed in a special apparatus for programmatic freezing. At the same time, the process itself is carried out according to a four-stage program, which allows maintaining cell viability for a long time.

To use frozen stem cell samples, immediately before transfusion, the cell suspension is slowly thawed in a water bath at a temperature of +40 degrees. After thorough mixing, a study is performed on the safety of the cells and their viability.

Laboratory testing

The use in clinical practice of blood obtained from the umbilical cord requires special testing in the laboratory. This allows you to determine the affiliation according to the HLA system, evaluate the quality of the drug and identify the potential for infection with infectious diseases.

The list of required laboratory tests includes:

• determination of the volume of cord blood and the content of cellular elements in it (stem cells, leukocytes, erythrocytes);
• blood test for markers of viral hepatitis;
• biochemical blood test ();
• detection of antibodies to HIV, pale treponema,;
• blood culture for sterility;
• determination of the HLA genotype, blood group according to the AB0 system and the Rh factor.

About 10 ml of blood is needed to conduct all studies in full. Of these, 4 ml are immediately taken for testing, and the remaining 6 ml are centrifuged and frozen, after which they are examined again. This makes it possible to assess the quality of the graft and predict the time of engraftment of hematopoietic cells in the patient's body.

Cord blood for research is used very sparingly in order to minimize the loss of hematopoietic cells.

• Determination of group affiliation, HLA phenotype, biochemical parameters is performed in a portion of blood taken from the umbilical artery.
• Bacteriological examination is carried out in the erythrocyte mass remaining after centrifugation.
• Serological studies of blood serum in order to detect infections are carried out using plasma obtained in the process of fractionation.
• Evaluation of the concentration of hematopoietic precursor cells is made in the cell sediment obtained by dividing the blood into fractions.

Advantages and disadvantages of using cord blood

Currently, many parents are thinking about whether it is worth harvesting the umbilical cord blood of a child, is it important or not? In order to answer these questions, consider the benefits of this treatment method.

1. The procedure is absolutely safe (does not harm the health of the mother and child).
2. Does not require additional anesthesia.
3. It has a low risk of contracting infectious diseases.
4. Provides the possibility of long-term storage of hematopoietic cells.
5. Provides biological life insurance for a child with the development of serious diseases (especially the hematopoietic system).

However, there are also disadvantages of using cord blood as a source of stem cells.

1. The main one is the relatively small amount of material obtained and its loss during harvesting and laboratory testing.
2. Another disadvantage of this procedure is its high cost with a low probability of use in a child. However, it is hardly comparable with the cost of bone marrow transplantation, which amounts to tens of thousands of dollars.

Currently, there are special cord blood banks in Russia and other countries. These can be private or public entities. The latter aim to create a certain stock of biological material that can be used for scientific research and treatment of patients.

Private banks are engaged in the storage of nominal samples, which can be used in case of illness. They offer their customers different rates:

• The average cost of collection and storage of cord blood in Gemabank is 65,000 rubles, it is paid separately for each year of storage (7,000 rubles).
• In the Cryocenter stem cell bank, a package of stem cell storage (25 years) has a total cost of about 230,000 rubles.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the vein of the umbilical cord and placenta at the time of birth. Storage - the process of cord blood collection, extraction and cryogenic freezing of cord blood stem cells for possible future medical use. There was a time when the umbilical cord and its blood were considered medical waste. Today, parents collect and store their child's cord blood because it is rich in stem cells. These stem cells are currently being used in a variety of treatments for life-threatening and complex diseases.

Private cord blood banks were the first cord blood banks to be cryopreserved. In fact, Cryo-Cell is the world's first private cord blood bank. Only after a while did the government realize the need to preserve cord blood for research and public welfare. Today, many states have public cord blood banks, and 31 states have passed laws or are about to pass legislation that requires or encourages OBGYN to educate future parents about cord blood storage. Parents-to-be have the choice of whether to donate their child's cord blood to others or for research through a public bank, or to keep their child's cord blood in their own private bank.

How much does private blood bank storage cost?

Private cord blood banks such as Cryo-Cell often charge an initial fee for the collection, processing and cryopreservation of cord blood stem cells. Banks like us also often charge an annual fee for permanent storage. At Cryo-Cell, we strive to empower all parents to save their child's cord blood for the future health of the entire family. We offer special discounts and offers for multiple births, returning clients, referrals, military families, medical professionals, long-term, prepaid storage plans, and more. In addition, we have our own financing options to ensure access to cord blood storage for everyone .

Benefits of a private cord blood bank

The appropriate stem cells required for transplantation are difficult to obtain through public cord blood banks. Once a match is made, it can take weeks, even months, to obtain matched blood, and the cost of acquiring cord blood from a public bank can exceed $40,000.
When a newborn's cord blood is stored in a private bank, there is no need to search for stem cells, since the parents already own the cord blood, which means that money and time are not spent on searching. These cord blood stem cells are ideal for a child, and as stem cell technology continues to develop, the chances of using preserved cord blood for a lifetime will continue to increase. Currently, the chances of undergoing a stem cell transplant before the age of 70 are 1 in 217.

The collected cord blood is not only available to the donor, but also available to other family members. Statistics show that there is a greater chance of success in stem cell transplantation between siblings than with unrelated donors and recipients. It also reduces the likelihood of transplant rejection reaction (GVHD), which is a serious complication of stem cell transplantation that can range from mild to acute and even chronic. According to the National Institutes of Health, the risk and severity of GVHD after a stem cell transplant depends on the relationship between donor and recipient:

• Identical twins: very low chance of suffering from GVHD
• Blood related family members: 35%-45% chance of GVHD
• Unrelated: 60%-80% chance of GVHD

Cryo-Cell Cord Blood and Tissue Collection Kit

Although the experience of cord blood collection is new to many parents, it is simple. In general, most mothers only have to worry about how the delivery will go and don't want to also worry about the details of collecting, processing and cryopreserving their baby's cord blood.
Fortunately, the medical staff and the cord blood bank do most of this hard work:

• The cord blood bank sends you a collection kit. Kits like ours should be stored at room temperature.
• The collection kit is brought by expectant parents to the birth center.
• During births at the birth center, the mother's blood is collected for testing for infectious diseases, as required by federal law.
• During childbirth, the doctor will clamp and cut the umbilical cord as usual. At the same time, the doctor will extract cord blood from the umbilical cord.
• There is absolutely no pain or any additional risk to the mother or baby during the collection process.
• The baby's cord blood collection bag and the mother's blood tubes are placed back into the collection set.
• Parents call the toll free number on the collection kit to call a medical courier - anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week - for transport to the cord blood bank.

Late cord clamping

Parents who decide to store their baby's cord blood and cord tissue should think ahead and take steps to protect their baby. Today, many parents choose to use the late cord clamping (DCC) method, a practice in which the cord is not clamped immediately, but after it continues to pulse for an average of 30 seconds to 180 seconds. Many parents are simply unaware that they can practice late cord clamping and cord blood collection from their child.

Premium cord blood treatment: PrepaCyte®-CB

The advanced, premium cord blood processing method is compatible with the practice of late cord clamping because it is volume independent of cord blood collection, effectively compensating for lower cord blood volumes with superior processing quality. The method, called PrepaCyte-CB®, greatly justifies the parent's investment as it produces the most stem cells (which is what you want) showing the most RBC clearance (which you don't). Clinical data from transplants show that cord blood treated with PrepaCyte-CB engrafts faster than other treatments. This means patients feel better faster, spend less time in the hospital, and are less likely to have transplant rejections. In some cases, the ability to grow faster and resist rejection can be vital.

Processing and cryopreservation

As can be seen from the application of the PrepaCyte-CB processing method, the type of cord blood processing method has differences in different cases. Despite the different ways in which cord blood is processed, there are certain steps that are universal for all the different methods:

Upon arrival at the bank, the cord blood is tested for microbiological contamination, and the mother's blood is tested for infectious diseases. The cord blood is then processed to reduce the number of red blood cells and isolate the stem cells. These cells are then mixed with a cryoprotectant and stored in a cryo-bag.

We wrap our packs for extra protection and use a method called "level controlled freezing" to prepare the cells for long term storage. The wrapped cryo-bag is placed in a protective metal cassette and placed in a vapor phase freezer with liquid nitrogen for long-term preservation.

Cord blood contains a large number of stem cells, and the medical use of these stem cells is expanding rapidly. Today, more than 35,000 stem cell treatments and transplants have been performed worldwide to treat cancer (including lymphoma and leukemia), inherited metabolic disorders, and other diseases. Cord blood is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of more than 80 diseases. And this list is growing. Fortunately for parents-to-be, the best stem cells can be easily harvested at birth through the umbilical cord. This is why pregnancy is a great time to make the decision to collect and store your baby's cord blood.

hematopoietic stem cells

Stem cells differentiate into other types of cells. Stem cells have the potential to become one of many different cell types.

Hematopoiesis (Greek for "to make blood") is the process by which our blood cells are formed. The stem cells that are the source of this process are called hematopoietic stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells can become two types of cells: myeloid and lymphoid cells. Myeloid cells continue to form your red blood cells, platelets, and other blood cells. Lymphoid cells become B cells and T cells and are the backbone of the immune system. Bone marrow and umbilical cord blood are rich in these hematopoietic stem cells and are often used to treat a number of diseases related to the blood or the immune system.

stem cells. Cord blood or bone marrow?

Cord blood stem cells have been shown to be more advanced than extracts from other sources such as bone marrow. This is largely due to the fact that umbilical cord stem cells can be considered undecided and immature compared to stem cells from other sources. stem cells from umbilical cord blood and tissue were not exposed to diseases or environmental influences. In this case, inexperience makes them stronger.

Most importantly, they are more compatible with foreign cells and are 100% perfect for the donor (child). The closer the match between patient and donor, the less likely the patient will suffer from transplant rejection reaction (GVHD), which can be debilitating and in some cases fatal. The main similarity between bone marrow and cord blood stem cells is that they both mainly contain hematopoietic stem cells.

Here are some of the reasons why umbilical cord stem cells are better than other stem cells:

• Preserved umbilical cord stem cells are readily available as needed.
• Obtaining stem cells from the bone marrow requires a painful, invasive surgical procedure.
• Preserved umbilical cord stem cells are more tolerant of tissue mismatches and show a rarer graft rejection reaction (GVHD)
• Preserved umbilical cord stem cells reduce the risk of transmission of viral infections.
• Preserved umbilical cord stem cells have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and differentiate into neurons and other brain cells, which may play an important role in the treatment of certain brain disorders.

Stem cells from umbilical cord tissue

There are other types of stem cells that can be collected during the cord blood collection process. One type is found in tissue surrounding the umbilical cord vein and other vessels. Cord tissue or Wharton's jelly is rich in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into cells of the nervous system, sensory organs, circulatory tissues, skin, bone, cartilage, etc. These stem cells are currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of sports injuries, heart and kidney disease, ALS, wound healing, as well as autoimmune diseases.

Cord blood storage is a new type of medical protection and there are many questions parents may wish to ask. The Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Storage has questions that all parents should ask the cord blood bank employee. We have answers to these questions and other frequently asked questions about cord blood. If you cannot find an answer, please feel free to engage one of our experts through the website's chat interface or give us a call.

In order to preserve more types and quantity of umbilical cord stem cells and to maximize possible future health options, Cryo-Cell’s umbilical cord tissue service provides expectant families with the opportunity to cryogenically store their newborn’s umbilical cord tissue cells contained within essentially intact cord tissue. Should umbilical cord tissue cells be considered for potential utilization in a future therapeutic application, further laboratory processing may be necessary. Regarding umbilical cord tissue, all private blood banks’ activities for New York State residents are limited to collection, processing, and long-term storage of umbilical cord tissue stem cells. The possession of a New York State license for such collection, processing and long-term storage does not indicate approval or endorsement of possible future uses or future suitability of these cells.

Many parents are increasingly wondering whether it is worth saving the baby's umbilical cord blood stem cells. After all, leading obstetricians and gynecologists and many stellar mothers advise future parents to keep this natural biomaterial, which is considered truly unique, as additional insurance for the child.

Cord blood is a valuable biomaterial

To begin with, let's figure out what cord blood (PC) is and why it needs to be stored. Cord blood is the blood that is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta immediately after the baby is born.

The peculiarity of this biomaterial is that it contains healthy hematopoietic stem cells (SCs). They are much younger and more active than cells of the same type from the bone marrow, since they are preserved at the very beginning of life. Confirmation of this is a lot of scientific research over the past thirty years. This valuable (more precisely, invaluable, given the far from fully explored possibilities of its use in medicine) biomaterial is used in the treatment of more than 85 diseases, namely, diseases of the blood, the immune system, autism, cerebral palsy, as well as a number of hereditary diseases.

It is worth noting that the saved PC is suitable not only for the child himself, but also provides quite reliable biological insurance for his relatives, parents, siblings. Many doctors today strongly recommend saving stem cells to families whose children belong to rare ethnic groups and have a genetic predisposition to certain diseases. And also for those whose older children are shown transplantation using SC.

Cord blood collection

Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut, so the procedure is completely painless and safe for both the baby and the mother. Blood collection takes a maximum of 5 minutes. Moreover, it is collected both during natural childbirth and during caesarean section. To do this, the doctor places a needle into the umbilical vein, through which blood is poured into a special bag with a liquid that prevents clotting. Usually 80 to 120 ml of blood is collected.

Isolation of stem cells from cord blood

After cord blood sampling, a separation step follows and the blood is processed step by step. The blood is purified from the remnants of plasma, erythrocytes and most mature leukocytes and stem cells are isolated. Today, there are three methods of selection: manual, semi-automatic and automatic. The second method is the most popular. The blood bag is placed in a special device to which three containers with tubes are connected. With the help of an automatic press, plasma moves up one tube, erythrocytes descend down the second, and the middle layer with a stem cell sample remains in the bag, then it is sealed and transported to the laboratory. It should be noted that the content of stem cells in umbilical cord blood is relatively small - less than 1% of all leukocytes. Usually, 4-6% of SC are collected, but this volume is quite enough for transplantation into an adult.

Storage

It is allowed to store cord blood only in special containers and only in specialized banks (not containers, of course, but medical organizations), with which the family enters into a contract even before the onset of childbirth. Cord blood is collected by specially trained staff at the labor ward.

After the biomaterial is collected, the container in a special package is delivered by car or plane to the laboratory within 36 hours, where it is examined in detail. The PC is tested for infections, blood grouping and Rh factor. After that, it is placed in special cryo-bags or cryotubes and sent for indefinite storage in cryo-storage facilities. More specifically, a 240 liter tank filled with liquid nitrogen to maintain a constant temperature (from -170ºC to -196ºC) of the stored samples. This storage format allows you to save the original useful properties of the sample for an unlimited period of time.

How popular are stem cell banks in Russia?

But is this service really in demand in Russia? According to the Stem Cell Institute, at the beginning of 2016, there were 14 personal cord blood banks operating in our country, in which 55,576 personal stem cell samples were stored. Moreover, the largest banks - Gemabank and Cryocenter - have been operating in the medical services market for about 15 years. The Institute also gives the dynamics of the number of incoming PC samples from 2009 to 2015. Based on these data, an average of 5,600 people apply to banks every year. And only in 2012 there was an increase in sales, when 7486 samples of SK were saved. Many attribute these figures to the high growth in the birth rate that year and the active PR campaign.

In fact, 55 thousand is not such a big figure. So why is there no great demand for this service in the 15 years of existence of such banks? Surveys show that many parents consider such bioinsurance to be too expensive and ineffective. “Why does a healthy child need to store cord blood? In addition, medicine does not stand still, but progresses, and in case of illness, a child can be cured without the use of stem cells, ”this is the most common formulation among those who doubt.

Other parents, having heard about the collection of money for the storage of the UK, immediately recall the MMM financial pyramid, which ended in a loud crash with thousands of affected people. There are also those who simply do not trust the conditions for storing stem cells in Russia. Let us turn again to the analytical data of the Institute and see how many people invested their savings in the health of the child and their relatives and, as it turned out, they did it for good reason. According to the data for 2016, 106 SC samples were issued for the treatment of patients with diagnoses: neuroblastoma, Fanconi anemia, juvenile myeloid leukemia, cerebral palsy, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome.

How much does cord blood collection cost?

For the collection, transportation and storage of biomaterial for a period of 5 years, Gemabank takes from 84 thousand rubles, for 10 years the amount of expenses will be 104 thousand rubles, for 20 years - 134 thousand rubles.

In the Cryocenter, when concluding a contract, the cost of services will cost from 59 to 69 thousand rubles (depending on whether the biomaterial will be stored in a cryobag or in a cryotube), plus 5.5/6 thousand rubles for annual storage. For example, over 5 years, a client of an unusual bank will pay 86.5/99 thousand rubles.

List of cryobanks in Russia

According to the Institute of Human Stem Cells, there are 14 banks in Russia that provide personal storage of cord blood. These data were published on the company's website in June 2016.

• Gemabank
• Cryocenter LLC
• State Unitary Enterprise of the Samara Region "Povolzhsky Bank of Hematopoietic Cells"
• Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank of the Perinatal Medical Center
• Pokrovsky Bank of Stem Cells LLC
• Orenburg stem cell bank
• Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Presidential Administration (CCH)
• Trans-Technologies LLC
• Bank of stem cells "SM-Clinic"
• Izhevsk Stem Cell Bank
• Ufa Stem Cell Bank at the clinic "Mother and Child"
• Stem cell bank at Kazan State Medical University
• Kazan bank PK at FGU
• Bank at LLC "NEO-clinic" (Tyumen)