ESTETICAL LASER CENTRE
Stem cell storage
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are the basic building blocks of our bodies. These are the cells from which we are made and which keep our immune system healthy and working. They have a unique ability to replace damaged cells, so they can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. They are found in bone marrow and cornea, in umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue, and also in the pulp of milk teeth.
Your baby’s stem cells can provide health for life
Stem cells are essential for the health of our bodies. Stem cells are responsible for the constant repair and renewal of damaged cells in the blood and tissues. They are essential for repairing damage caused by disease and injury.
We know about haematopoietic stem cells, which are found in the umbilical cord blood at birth and later in the bone marrow throughout life.
Another form of stem cell is the mesenchymal stem cell, which is found in the tissue of the umbilical cord at birth and also in the pulp of deciduous and permanent teeth. These stem cells have an amazing ability to regenerate various tissues in our body.
How mesenchymal stem cells can be used
MSCs found in dental pulp are widely appreciated in advanced treatments and have been addressed in many clinical studies. Due to their high potential for differentiation (transformation into other cells), they are the subject of studies dealing with their isolation, multiplication and reimplantation for the treatment of various diseases such as:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Anaemia
- Heart attack
- Autism
- Type 1 diabetes
All treatments are currently still in clinical trials.
However, many scientists have already shown that MSCs are a safe form of treatment for degenerative diseases and various immune-related disorders and diseases. They are very easy to grow in cell culture, completely ethical and non-invasive to collect. For these reasons, more and more parents are choosing to store their children’s stem cells as a form of health preservation.
What is stem cell banking?
Stem cell biobanking is a service where parents send a baby’s deciduous tooth, umbilical cord blood or umbilical cord tissue to our laboratory. There, the stem cells are carefully removed, processed and cryo-frozen for decades to come. This way, we offer families security and peace of mind that, should their child ever need stem cells, they have a 100% matching sample of stem cells available for treatment.
How does the whole process work?
It only takes 5 easy steps to save your baby’s stem cells.
Step 1: We send you a stem cell storage contract, which you fill in and return to us.
Step 2: We send you a collection kit and wait for the day of the sample collection.
Step 3: Sample collection is always carried out by a qualified person in a health facility or hospital.
Step 4: After the sample has been collected, call us on the phone number provided to arrange collection and transport to our laboratory.
Step 5: After the sample has been taken, you will be kept informed of all the results.
History of stem cells
Stem cells were first discovered in 1961 in bone marrow. The first bone marrow transplant was performed in 1968.
In 1978, haematopoietic stem cells – haematopoietic stem cells – were discovered in umbilical cord blood. This is a type of cell that can develop into any type of blood cell and is also found in the bone marrow.
In 1988, the first treatment with stem cells from umbilical cord blood was carried out. A five-year-old Fanconi anaemia patient receives the first treatment with cord blood from his younger sister. The treatment saved his life and he is perfectly healthy to this day.
The first umbilical cord blood was stored in 1992, while the first biobanks started operating in 2002.
Stem cells in dental pulp were discovered in 2000 by Dr Songtao Shi. They contain mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are also found in the bone marrow. These cells have the ability to repair damaged tissue and cells in muscle, cartilage, fat and bone.
Like all other cells in our body, stem cells age with age. That’s why stem cells from umbilical cord blood and tissue and milk teeth are particularly valuable because they are still young, vital and healthier.
Storing cells in a stem cell bank gives you better options for future treatments, should you ever need MSC treatment for various diseases or injuries.
