[BojanaL]

How to collect and store stem cells?

People are dealing with moral issues associated with embryonic stem cells starting from the first conducted experiment. Those cells are used in treatment of numerous diseases because they can be turned into all cell types. They are also excellent tool for analysis of various diseases (useful in drug development) because scientists could track disease progression from the initiation of the disease. This is probably the most controversial part associated with embryonic stem cells - using the embryo's parts purely for laboratory research. Important fact (that critics often forget) is that embryos are not cultivated because of the experiments, but rather turned from medical waste into useful material. Typical examples are cells donated from the unsuccessful in vitro fertilization. Umbilical cord is medical waste also. After baby is delivered, umbilical cord will be discarded. In that moment, you have potential solution for future diseases directly in your hands, but no one can force a person to keep these cells until they finally can be used. Same is with menstrual blood. Every month females have incredible opportunity to secure themselves against the future illnesses through depositing sample of menstrual stem cells in the bank. List of stem cells associated treatments is already long; I can just imagine future applications of these cells when some new technologies become available.

Somewhere around 1970s, researchers discovered that umbilical cord contains cells that have same potential like bone marrow derived hematopoietic cells. In 1988, first successful transplantation of stem cells cured a 5-year-old child that suffered from Fanconi’s anemia. That operation opened an era of successful application of stem cells in various medical fields. People also became more familiar with this topic and more opened toward idea of collecting and storing stem cells.

People in almost all countries in the world have opportunity to collect and store their stem cells for the future use. Stem cells can be donated also. Public stem cell banks will collect stem cells and use them for the future transplantations of children or young people. Children and youngsters are best candidates for stem cell transplantation because their organisms are not fully grown (bigger organism requires more cells). If you donate stem cells, you can save life of someone else’s child, just like someone’s donation could save life of your child. People might think that donated stem cells are same as donated organs, but unlike already formed organs, stem cells are not fully differentiated and they are flexible & easily adaptable to the new environment. In other words, stem cells used in transplantation don’t have to match exactly with the recipient. Also, statistics showed that people who decide to keep the stem cells in a private bank usually never use them. Your own cells will match your body 100% but only 25% if they are needed for your close relatives. In public stem cell banks, you can find stem cells that will match 90% with your body. And finally, maybe not the most important, but certainly significant factor that could help you decide whether you should donate or keep stem cells in a private bank. If you decide to donate your stem cells, you can do that for free. On the other hand, private banks will charge sampling of the stem cells between 1000 and 2000 dollars; also you need to pay 100 to 200 dollars for the annual maintenance. Umbilical stem cells are collected immediately after baby is born. If you decide to collect and store menstrual blood stem cells, again, procedure is very simple and painless. Physician will insert a tube that will be collecting blood 4h and during that period you can continue with your regular daily activities. All collected stem cells will be cry-preserved until they are needed. Stem cells should have indefinite longevity, but since preservation of these cells is just "few years" old method, we can't be 100% sure.

Thanks to fast development of science and technology, stem cells are now part of our reality. Those cells are biological waste that we wisely decide to "recycle". Personally, I am thrilled with medical potentials of stem cells and with bright scientific minds that discovered new sources and applications of those cells.