Those who have not had time to create a storage of stem cells of umbilical cord blood can now store stem cells from adult human blood in a special bank.
According to Atoll Haas, the chief executive officer of the company which coordinates the project, 10 billion cells, which can give rise to various tissues, can possibly be obtained from 80 ml of blood of an adult person. This is a kind of medical investment and an additional chance to take advantage of the opportunities of modern biomedicine.
The list of diseases that in future can be cured with the help of stem cells is impressive: cancer, diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, etc. The cost of collecting blood, separating stem cells from it, and storing them during the period of 20 years will be 2,495 pounds. It is comparable to the service of storing stem cells from the umbilical cord blood. If the project is successfully launched in the UK, the proponents will suggest implementing it in other countries within a short period of time.
According to the director of Gemabank, the bank of stem cells, Alexander Prikhodko, this service is likely to be demanded by people. However, umbilical cord blood is much richer in stem cells, and the possibilities of its use are beyond competition. They are the youngest cells which can be safely obtained from a human being and therefore do not carry any results of the harmful influence of the environment and way of life.
Source of the image: Guardian.
