What
Are Cord Blood And Stem Cells
Cord
blood refers to the blood that remains in the umbilical cord
and in the placenta after it is separated from the newborn
following childbirth. Typically, the umbilical cord and placenta
(also known as the afterbirth) are discarded after a child
is born. The blood found in these organs is rich in a special
cell type called stem cells. Not only do stem cells have the
ability to generate all types of blood cells, but they can
be used to treat a variety of life-threatening diseases, including
leukemia, other cancers, blood and immune disorders and, more
recently, sickle cell anemia.
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