What’s the difference between adult and cord blood stem cells?
- Adult stem cells can be found in the body’s various tissues and organs, including the skin, liver, bone marrow, and fat. Collecting these requires an intrusive technique that increases the risk of infection. They may originate from the body of the recipient, or they may come from a suitable donor. In contrast, cord blood stem cells are derived from the umbilical cord and placenta following a baby’s birth. This blood is usually discarded, making it extremely simple to collect. Because the collection is non-invasive, does not interfere with the birth plan, and does not injure the donor (infant), it is painless. By keeping their cord blood on hand, a person always has a reliable source of stem cells at hand. If they are compatible, other people can also utilize them.
Which one is better? Stem cells from adults or cord blood
• Both have their uses. However, adult stem cells have a few notable drawbacks in comparison.Environmental variables have the potential to harm them such as poisons and radiation, which may restrict their use.
• These environmental influences are less likely to destroy cord blood stem cells. They are frequently regarded as the superior choice for stem cell therapy because of this. This is because adult stem cells age with a person (donor) and become damaged. For example, this explains why, as we age, our skin grows more wrinkled. As we age, so does the age-dependent accumulation of DNA damage.
• Although adult stem cells can be “reset” to function similarly to cord blood stem cells, this DNA damage will still be present in them.
• Since cord blood stem cells are relatively fresh, their potency is unmatched. They are, in actuality, the most potent source of stem cells that are accessible. They possess the capacity to change into practically any other type of cell or tissue, including neuron, liver, and bone cells.
Variations
• Numerous bodily components, including bone marrow, blood cells, (adipose) fat cells, dental pulp (the tissue inside teeth), and even liver and brain tissue, can be used to create adult stem cells. Bone marrow stem cells have been the subject of the most research and therapeutic use of any stem cell type. They are taken from a patient when they are an adult. The procedure of collecting tissues or cells can be invasive or painful, depending on what is being gathered.
• On the other hand, cord blood stem cells are extracted soon after a baby is born. The process of extracting blood from the umbilical cord is entirely painless and non-invasive for both the mother and her child.
• Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are present in very high concentrations in umbilical cord blood. Compared to HSCs, MSCs have a significantly greater potential range of variability. According to scientific studies, MSCs have the capacity to develop into bone, cartilage, muscle, liver, pancreas, and nerve cells.
• Typically, adult stem cells are limited to repairing and renewing the tissue from which they were derived. Adult skin stem cells, for instance, can only proliferate into new skin. Although this is helpful, adult stem cells don’t seem to have as much potential diversity as cord blood stem cells.
Currently, disorders including blood cancers, and some types of anemia are treated with cord blood stem cells in a manner somewhat similar to that of adult stem cells. On the other hand, compared to adult stem cells, the therapeutic potential of stem cells obtained from cord blood seems to be significantly higher. Treatments for a variety of conditions, including eczema, immunological problems, liver and kidney illness, cardiovascular diseases, and type I diabetes, are being researched using stem cells derived from cord blood.
High potential diversity stem cells are abundant in cord blood. The benefits of cord blood banking for the advancement of human health are becoming more and more evident from clinical research. Although you can only bank your baby’s cord blood once, at birth, the potential health benefits seem to last well into adulthood.
