Cord Blood Glossary
Basic Cord Blood Glossary
BMT: Bone marrow transplant. The usage of bone marrow stem cells in transplant treatment. These cells carry a higher incidence of graft versus host disease (GVHD) than cord blood due to their maturity.
CBT: Cord blood transplant. The usage of umbilical cord blood stem cells in transplant treatment. While these stem cells do not require a perfect match for transplant, they are more primitive than both bone marrow and peripheral blood cells. Therefore the engraftment process is longer, leaving the patient vulnerable to infection for a longer period.
Cord blood: The blood from a mother’s umbilical cord and placenta. It is collected for storage post-birth, after the cord is detached from the baby, and is a source of adult stem cells. Cord blood is one of three sources of stem cells used in transplant treatment.
PBSCT: Peripheral blood stem cell transplant. The usage of peripheral blood stem cells in transplant treatment. Like bone marrow stem cells, these cells also carry a higher incidence of GVHD than cord blood in transplants.
Peripheral blood: The circulating blood in the body which contains concentrated stem cells. This blood is one of the three types used in transplant treatment.
Private cord blood bank: Also referred to as family cord blood banks. Private facilities that store cord blood collections for a fee. Parents have the option of storing their cord blood for future use, either for their child, or another close family member.
Public cord blood bank: Public facilities that accept cord blood donations for transplants or research. There is no fee charged to the donor, however, the donor signs away any ownership of the cord blood once it is property of the public bank. Future use of this sample is not available to the donor or the donor’s family members if and when it may be needed.
Stem cells: Cells found in multi-cellular organisms that have the ability to divide and differentiate into various specialized cell types. They act as the body’s repair system by replenishing specialized cells, in addition to maintaining the regenerative organs such as blood, skin, or intestinal tissues. (See Stem cell types)
Stem cell treatment: Various stem cell therapies currently exist to treat various cancers, with particular usage of bone marrow transplants to treat leukemia. Due to the social controversy surrounding embryo destruction, embryonic stem cells are not used as a source of transplant blood.
Stem cell types: 1. Embryonic stem cells, found in bastocysts, have the capability to differentiate into all of the specialized embryonic tissues. 2. Adult stem cells are found in umbilical cord blood, bone marrow and peripheral (circulating) blood. They can divide and create either the same or differentiating cells.