What’s a stem cell?
Your stem cells are precious
Stem cells are valuable and fundamentally distinct. They are the “mother” cells from which all other blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) develop and they play a key role in the treatment of about 80 diseases, including cancers such as leukemia and certain hereditary diseases.
Stem cells are found in:
- Bone marrow:
- Bone marrow is a soft, jelly-like tissue found inside the centre of bones such as the pelvis. It’s like a factory that manufactures blood stem cells.
- Veins (peripheral blood circulation):
- Normally, the quantity of stem cells circulating in the peripheral blood is not sufficient for a successful transplant. For that reason, the selected donor is given a drug that boosts the production and quantity of stem cells circulating in the blood.
- Umbilical cord blood:
- Cord blood, which is collected from the umbilical cord during childbirth, is full of valuable stem cells. Cord blood donations to the Public Cord Blood Bank are an additional source of stem cells. Since the quantity of stem cells recovered from cord blood is lower, this type of donation is more suitable for recipients weighing less than 50 kg.