The Science
Stem cells are extremely valuable and powerful because they have the ability to become any type of cells in the body. This versatility allows stem cells to be used to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs.
The Science
Stem cells are extremely valuable and powerful because they have the ability to become any type of cells in the body. This versatility allows stem cells to be used to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs.
The Impact of Transplant Medicine Today
Stem cells have been used in bone marrow transplants since the 1970s and today they are approved by the FDA to treat serious medical conditions.
- They are currently used to treat over 80 conditions, including certain types of cancers, blood disorders, and metabolic disorders.
- Cord blood has been used in more than 40,000 stem cell transplants worldwide to help rebuild health blood and immune systems.
The transformative power of regenerative medicine
Over 5,000 promising clinical trials are in process worldwide studying cord blood, cord tissue and placenta tissue’s role in advancing medicine and potential applications in regenerative medicine. Current estimates indicate that approximately 1 in 3 individuals in the United States, or 128 million people, could benefit over their lifetime from regenerative medicine.
Cord Blood
Stem cells from cord blood are the building blocks of your immune and blood systems. For more than 30 years, cord blood has been used in the proven treatment of over 80 serious conditions in stem cell transplants to rebuild the blood and immune systems, including:
- Blood disorders (sickle cell disease)
- Immune disorders (severe combined immunodeficiency)
- Cancers (leukemia and lymphoma)
- Metabolic disorders (Krabbe disease)
Cord Tissue
The cord tissue contains many different types of stem cells, including epithelial, endothelial and mesenchymal stem cells, that all have different potential uses in different ways then cord blood. They are currently being investigated in over 5,000 extremely promising clinical trials in areas including:
- Autoimmune (lupus and type 1 diabetes)
- Orthopedic (osteoarthritis)
- Cardiovascular (heart disease)
- Neurological (stroke and Alzheimer’s)
Placenta Tissue
Stem cells from placental tissue are already being used in therapies to treat wounds and promote healing – including diabetic ulcers and eye conditions that could ultimately lead to blindness. But they also have tremendous potential for use in regenerative medicine in diseases including:
- Muscular dystrophy
- Spinal cord injury
- Autism
- Parkinson’s disease
- Traumatic brain injury
How Does Banking Work?
Collect
Your newborn’s stem cells are collected immediately after birth by your doctor or midwife using the AlphaCord collection kit. The collection process is non-invasive, completely painless, and only takes a few minutes.
Transport
The stem cells are then sealed in a temperature-monitored shipping container. You will receive shipping information upon ordering and the kit will need to be dropped off after collection where it will be securely transported it to our designated state-of-the-art laboratory.
Quality Testing
We receive and process stem cell collections every day of the year, which are analyzed by our experienced laboratory scientists for TNCs, CD34+/CD45 count, viability, bacteriology, fungal and infectious diseases.
Process
The precious stem cells from the cord blood and tissue are separated, purified and concentrated.
Store
We place the frozen stem cells in our cryotanks, containing liquid nitrogen at almost -196 ̊C. At this temperature, the cells remain perfectly preserved for decades.
Getting Started is Simple
STEP 1
Enroll
Sign up online or call (404) 998-5012 and we’ll send you a collection kit.
STEP 2
Collect
Take kit to hospital so your doctor or midwife can collect the cord blood and tissues.
STEP 3
Store
Kit will be safely transported to the lab where we will process and store your baby’s stem cells, ready and available if ever needed.
