Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between storing whole cord blood and extracted stem cells?

Both whole cord blood and extracted stem cell samples start from collecting the available blood from the umbilical cord.  The main difference between storing whole cord blood and extracted stem cells is the methods used once the blood is received at the laboratory.

Commercial extraction methods are focused on the CD34+ progenitor cell population, a subsection of the whole stem cell population.  This sub-population is the one which has been identified as being the major source of cells which reconstitute the bone marrow in individuals with illnesses such as leukaemia. They are not as such stem cells, but progenitor cells (denoted by the +suffix).

Public health institutions have a policy of increasing the stocks of stem cell to provide treatments for leukaemia patients.  This is becoming more popular as the number of bone marrow donors is insufficient for the number of patients and the use of multiple partially-mismatched cord blood units to treat adults is becoming common practice.  As such the CD34+ sub-population is of key interest to public health banks. 

The public health banks have to maximise their storage capacity, and an effective method of doing this is to reduce the volume of the samples thus increasing the number of samples in a tank.  Extracting the CD34+ population has become possible by developments in technology.   This minimises the amount of sample stored, whilst (for blood disorders) providing a clinically viable sample. 

Other private cord blood banks have utilised this technology, effectively ensuring the samples they store are identical in nature to those store in a public bank, but without the foresight and technical expertise to future proof the sample.  The skill level required in the laboratory is also lower, as this is automated technology. 

Privately banked cord blood samples are not stored with the aim of treating a child with leukaemia, especially in the UK; they are stored because of the possible future uses and other diseases which can be treated using stem cells.  The future of regenerative medicine which uses stem cell therapy is the driving reason. 

Cells4Life is able to demonstrate via independent peer reviewed papers (see library) that the minimally invasive cryopreservation technique of storing whole cord blood does provide a significantly larger and more diverse population of stem cell types, including Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), Very Small Embryonic Like Stem Cells (VSELs), Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and Unrestricted Somatic Stem Cells (USSCs), which are clinically superior even in blood disorder treatments. Further there are high concentrations of cytokines, growth factors and hormones as well as B-cells and T-cells in the sample which are retained.  There are numerous research publications which show these are not only clinically relevant but also critical for some cell based therapies

Extracting CD34+ progenitor cells is limiting the use of the sample, and at a time when technology and medicine are advancing rapidly, why would you limit the possibilities?

What is the benefit of storing whole cord blood?

Whole cord blood is stored to ensure that in the future the maximum possible use can be made of the sample.  As you are considering this option, you are aware that the statistical analysis of developing childhood leukaemia is 1 in 20,000.  You are also aware of the potential of regenerative medicine as discussed in the media.  Family banking increases the liklihood of a sample match between siblings to 1:4 from a 1:40,000 when looking to a public bank and almost zero when looking at mixed race children.

Whole cord blood contains several different types of cells.  Whilst storing the whole cord blood preserves all the key stem cell types, Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), Very Small Embryonic Like stem cells (VSELs), Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), hormones and growth factors found within the blood, storing volume reduced samples preserves only one stem cell type, HSCs.  Volume reduction removes over 80% of the sample.

It is these other types of stem cells which are the focus of medical research and which increase the use of cord blood way beyond treatment of blood disorders. 

Our library contains extensive scientific references from peer reviewed papers which will provide you with factual evidence regarding the use of whole umbilical cord blood.  Our policy statement on whole cord blood is a cumulative document detailing all the peer reviewed literature which supports the use of whole cord blood.

Why umbilical cord blood and tissue stem cells?

Both the umbilical cord blood and tissue are rich sources of many types of stem cells. Whilst the primary stem cell type found within the cord tissue is Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), the cord tissue also contains Vascular Endothelial and Perivascular cells; both of which have increasing scientific evidence to demonstrate the likely therapeutically benefits.

How long have you been trading?

Cells4Life has been trading since 2002 when it was originally founded.

What happens if you go bankrupt?

It is required by law for all UK HTA licensed facilities to have in place procedures to enquire the safety ands quality of samples.  This includes failure in the facility or corporate failure.  Cells4Life has insurance, agreements and processes in place to ensure that samples are moved quickly to another HTA licensed facility.

Why is your initial storage term limited to 25 years?

Current research has shown that cord blood stored and used after 25 years is therapeutically viable.  Peripheral blood, gametes and other tissue types have been stored and used after considerably longer periods with no adverse effects.  It is highly likely that it will be possible to store the umbilical cord blood and tissue for much longer periods of time and retain the clinical activity of the cells.  It is widely accepted in the scientific community that long term cryogenic storage can be indefinite.

When is the cord blood collected?

The umbilical cord blood and tissue can only be collected for a short period of time following birth. Once your baby has been born the umbilical cord will be clamped and the placenta delivered, collection will then take place using the sterile collection kit provided. Collection must occur as soon as possible to avoid the clotting process which will render the blood sample useless.

How is the cord blood collected?

Following the birth of your baby(ies) and delivery of the placenta your designated healthcare professional (obstetrician, midwife or phlebotomist) uses the Collection Kit provided by us to clean the umbilical cord.  Your healthcare professional will then insert the blood bag needle into the umbilical vein and arteries and collect the blood flows into the bag by gravity. The blood bag tubing is clamped, sealed and labelled.  The bag is then placed back into the Collection Kit box and passed to you (or your birth partner) to await courier collection. The whole process takes only a few minutes. You must phone the courier. 

Our collection procedure is safe, easy and painless and does not interfere with the delivery or subsequent care of mother or baby.

How is the cord tissue collected?

Following the collection of your baby(ies) umbilical cord blood, your designated healthcare professional (obstetrician, midwife or phlebotomist) uses the +Cord Collection Kit provided by us to select, clean and cut approximately 10-15cm of the umbilical cord. Your healthcare professional will then place the length of cord into a sterile container and label it before placing it with the blood in the +Cord Collection Kit box. The box will be passed to you (or your birth partner) to await courier collection.

You must phone the courier. Our collection procedure is safe, easy and painless and does not interfere with the delivery or subsequent care of mother or baby.

Who collects the cord blood and tissue?

The collection must be undertaken by a trained and licensed healthcare professional.  Regulations enforced by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) require the person who actually makes the sample available to be appropriately trained in the collection process and working under the auspices of an HTA license.  Cells4Life can arrange for a suitably qualified person to be present at your birth at your request.  Please note we will not release a kit to you until we are assured that the procurement will be undertaken in accordance with the law.

Under what conditions can my cord blood and tissue sample be packaged?

Any person handling the placenta with a view to procuring samples which might be used for therapeutic treatment has to be working under an HTA license or Third Party Agreement (TPA). Any packaging used must be validated and there must be controls in place to ensure the continued safety of the sample.

For this reason, only individuals who are appropriately licensed and using Cells4Life’s validated Collection Kits are able to package your baby(ies)’s sample.  If a hospital offers to package the placenta up then they would still have to be working under an HTA license/TPA and there are no suitable packages or practices to achieve this.

Does a caesarean birth affect the collection process?

No, the process is the same in either case. For caesarean births, the umbilical cord blood and tissue is collected after the delivery of the placenta in the same way for a natural birth.

Is there any medical risk to either myself or my baby?

There is no medial risk to your or your baby during the collection process.  Procurement occurs after the placenta has been delivered and must be undertaken by a healthcare professional specifically trained in this process.   Umbilical cord blood and tissue procurement is a simple, quick and safe practice.

In the event of a complication during delivery, the midwife and/or consultant attending your birth may not permit collection to ensure the health and well being of you and your baby. This is clearly detailed in our contract.

Will either my baby or I feel any discomfort during the collection?

At the time of collection, both you and your baby will be physically separated from the umbilical cord and placenta. There will therefore be no discomfort felt by either of you during the collection process.

After collection, how much time do I have before processing is completed?

There is clear evidence that the viability of cord blood stem cells deteriorates quickly with time. Indeed after 24 hours a significant proportion of the stem cells will be non-viable. At Cells4Life we operate a 24-hour window in the United Kingdom, which means that all samples are processed within 24 hours from collection to completion of processing. Viability is assessed before and after the cells are taken through the freezing process and viability results are sent to customers within 24 hours of birth (Full results are sent around 4 weeks after birth).

For customers abroad, the time between collection and processing may be longer.  To ensure the quality of the cells, we use speical refrigerated shippers which help to maintain the viability of your sample.

What testing do you do?

The umbilical cord blood is assesed for viability, that is to say that the number of living cells within the sample is counted and the result expressed as a percentage.  In addition, both the umbilical cord blood and tissue are tested for microbial contamination.

As required by law, we also require a small volume of maternal blood to be tested for:

        HIV I and II
        HTLV (Human T cell Lyphotrophic Virus)
        Syphilis
        Hepatitis B (both the core antibody and antigen test)
        Hepatitis C

We are required to test for the above diseases as they have been identified as being potentially hazardous in a transfusion/transplant setting.  This is required by law.

If the cord blood and tissue sample is to be used for persons other than the child, we will require either;

i)  Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing to be undertaken on the original maternal blood sample prior to release.  As a result, where possible, we will keep the remaining plasma from the original sample in cryogenic storage.

ii)  a further maternal blood sample to be provided and tested at least 180 days after birth.

How the will the sample be destroyed?

If the sample were ever to be destroyed for any reason the blood would be thawed and then disposed of by incineration by a licensed clinical waste specialist company.  This is how all clinical waste is disposed of.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are primitive cells that can transform into many other types of cell found within the body, e.g. skin, liver, nerve.  Umbilical cord stem cells are one of the most primitive types of cells in the body. Created during the earliest phases of development they have the potential, given the right stimuli, to become specialised cells such as red or white blood cells, muscles cells or even brain cells.

How can stem cells be used?

Stem cells can be used therapeutically to help restore function to the immune systems and blood producing systems, e.g. when these systems have been damaged by chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Stem cells are the basis for bone marrow transplants which are used to treat haematological, immunological and metabolic storage disorders, mostly in children and young adults.

Increasingly stem cells are the basis of regenerative medicine which is where tissues are repaired.  Examples of this would be cardiac muscle repair following “heart attacks”; creation of new insulin producing cells in diabetics; creation of new blood vessels in limbs (complications of diabetes and other disorders); improvement of growth in children suffering some disorders.

How can stem cells be used in relation to cancer?

Rare childhood cancers have been successfully treated with stem cells after chemotherapy treatment. In these cases the stem cells are replenishing the immune system that is destroyed by toxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy required to treat the cancer itself. There are clinical trials of stem cells in the treatment of breast cancer where they are used in combination with other conventional treatments such as chemotherapy.

What future stem cell applications may be available?

Research into many areas of stem cell therapy is being vigorously pursued. The areas of research attracting most attention include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and organ engineering.

Methods for expanding the stem cell numbers are already at an advanced stage, clinical trials on expanded populations of these cells have been and are being conducted.

There have been individual reports of adult patients with cancer using stem cells to replenish their immune system after chemotherapy treatments. It is likely that the main role of stem cells in cancer will be in combination with other already existing treatments.