Vascular Biology of the Placenta


Book Description

The placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall, thereby allowing nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. Proper vascular development in the placenta is fundamental to ensuring a healthy fetus and successful pregnancy. This book provides an up-to-date summary and synthesis of knowledge regarding placental vascular biology and discusses the relevance of this vascular bed to the functions of the human placenta.




Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Therapy


Book Description

Examines the potential for stem cells gleaned from umbilical cords to generate a wealth of new therapy and healing medicines for neurological conditions and blood problems.




Umbilical Cord Blood: A Future For Regenerative Medicine?


Book Description

Umbilical cord blood, previously discarded, has emerged as a new source of stem cells for hematologic reconstitution, bone marrow failures and other hematologic deficiencies. It has become increasingly clear that umbilical cord tissue contains unique stem cells of great potential for regenerative medicine. Importantly, umbilical cord blood is abundant, can be banked and transported with ease, and thus has an indisputable potential for future regenerative therapies. Driven by a massive interest for regenerative medicine and ethically acceptable stem cell sources, the scientific literature on umbilical cord stem cells has exploded.This book provides a consolidated overview of basic, translational as well as clinical research in academic institutions and industry, on hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells contained within umbilical cord tissue, as well as other more recently discovered stem and precursor cells of not yet fully elucidated potential. Although not discussed here, umbilical cord cells have been successfully reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells (iPS), opening the door for a vast array of applications with this abundant human material likely catapulting cord-derived stem cells to the forefront of cell-based regenerative medicine.Suitable as a primer and reference book for medical fellows and researchers, this book can also be used by students (undergraduate and graduate) as a starting point into the vast literature on stem cells and their potential.




Stem Cell Therapy: A Rising Tide: How Stem Cells Are Disrupting Medicine and Transforming Lives


Book Description

Stem cells are the repair cells of your body. When there aren't enough of them, or they aren't working properly, chronic diseases can manifest and persist. From industry leaders, sport stars, and Hollywood icons to thousands of everyday, ordinary people, stem cell therapy has helped when standard medicine failed. Many of them had lost hope. These are their stories. Neil H Riordan, author of MSC: Clinical Evidence Leading Medicine's Next Frontier, the definitive textbook on clinical stem cell therapy, brings you an easy-to-read book about how and why stem cells work, and why they're the wave of the future.




Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine


Book Description

Recent scientific breakthroughs, celebrity patient advocates, and conflicting religious beliefs have come together to bring the state of stem cell researchâ€"specifically embryonic stem cell researchâ€"into the political crosshairs. President Bush's watershed policy statement allows federal funding for embryonic stem cell research but only on a limited number of stem cell lines. Millions of Americans could be affected by the continuing political debate among policymakers and the public. Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine provides a deeper exploration of the biological, ethical, and funding questions prompted by the therapeutic potential of undifferentiated human cells. In terms accessible to lay readers, the book summarizes what we know about adult and embryonic stem cells and discusses how to go about the transition from mouse studies to research that has therapeutic implications for people. Perhaps most important, Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine also provides an overview of the moral and ethical problems that arise from the use of embryonic stem cells. This timely book compares the impact of public and private research funding and discusses approaches to appropriate research oversight. Based on the insights of leading scientists, ethicists, and other authorities, the book offers authoritative recommendations regarding the use of existing stem cell lines versus new lines in research, the important role of the federal government in this field of research, and other fundamental issues.




Perinatal Stem Cells


Book Description

Perinatal Stem Cells provides researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive description of the current clinical and pre-clinical applications of stem cells derived from perinatal sources, such as amniotic fluid, placenta and placental membranes, the umbilical cord and Wharton’s jelly. It's compiled by leading experts in the field, offering readers detailed insights into sources of perinatal stem cells and their potential for disease treatment. Therapeutic applications of perinatal stem cells include the treatment of in utero and pregnancy related diseases, cardiac disease, liver disease, pulmonary disease, inflammatory diseases, for hematopoietic regeneration, and for neural protection after stroke or traumatic brain injury. In addition, the rapid advance in clinical translation and commercialization of perinatal stem cell therapies is highlighted in a section on Clinical and Industry Perspective which provides insight into the new opportunities and challenges involved in this novel and exciting industry. Explores current clinical and pre-clinical application of stem cells derived from perinatal sources Offers detailed insight into sources of perinatal stem cells and their potential for disease treatment Discusses progress in the manufacturing, banking and clinical translation of perinatal stem cells Edited by a world-renowned team to present a complete story of the development and promise of perinatal stem cells




Umbilical Cord Blood Banking for Clinical Application and Regenerative Medicine


Book Description

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) and, more recently, umbilical cord tissue (UCT) have been stored cryopreserved in private and public cord blood and tissue banks worldwide, since the umbilical cord blood was used for the first time in a child with Fanconi anemia with his HLA-identical sibling, following strict guidelines that imply high-quality standards and total rastreability of these units. The hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are clinically used in hematopoietic treatments for blood disorders and hemato-oncological diseases. Also, the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from the UCT and UCB, nowadays, can be used as coadjuvants of hematopoietic transplants. In the near future, these stem cells will have a crucial role in regenerative medicine. For this reason, these cells have been tested in several clinical trials and compassive treatments in children and adults, concerning a wide range of pathologies and diseases, for instance, for the treatment of cerebral paralysis. Considering the worldwide availability of UCB and UCT units and the absence of ethical concerns will probably become the best sources for cell-based therapies for hematological and nonhematological pathologies. The UCB will also have a crucial role in neonatology-predictive analysis in the near future.




Regenerative Medicine Using Pregnancy-Specific Biological Substances


Book Description

The proposed book is a holistic review of the clinical use of placental substances, amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord and its contents. It is intended to be a unique presentation of the current advances as well as also discussing the future applications of these substances. Attention is yet to be focused on the widespread clinical use of pregnancy-related biological substances. The aim for this book is to inform clinicians of the use of such materials and increase awareness of their therapeutic benefits. As such, this reference resource will be of great value to hematologists, rheumatologists, cardiologists, transplant technologists and all involved in regenerative medicine.




Stem Cells from Cord Blood, in Utero Stem Cell Development and Transplantation-Inclusive Gene Therapy


Book Description

The title "Stem Cells from Cord Blood, In Utero Stem Cell Develop ment, and Transplantation-Inclusive Gene Therapy" suggests that more than one topic is combined in one workshop. Indeed, at first glance the recovery of stem cells from cord blood has to be seen as separate from the attempts to achieve effective in utero therapy by stem cell trans plantation, because the first issue deals with an innovative stem cell source as an alternative to bone marrow, which is already spreading rapidly in medical practice, whereas the second topic is still strictly ex perimental and only investigated in medical centers with the appropri ate background. It is, however, not only justified, but helpful to com bine the two topics in one workshop and consequently to cover them in the same volume of the Ernst Schering Research Foundation Work shop series, because they are intimately related and both based on the new insights into the biology of stem cells. Professor Werner Arber, the Nobel Laureate from the University of Basel, pointed out in his In- Professor Dr. W. Holzgreve VI Preface The participants of the workshop troductory Lecture that our understanding of hematopoietic stem cells as descendents of totipotent cells and our current approaches to using them in post-and prenatal therapy have been furthered significantly by genetic engineering technologies which are "artificial contributions to the process of biologic evolution".




Cord Blood Stem Cells Medicine


Book Description

Cord Blood Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine discusses the current applications for cord blood stem cells and techniques for banking cord blood. Cord blood, blood from the umbilical cord and placenta of an infant, represents an alternate source of stem cells that can be used to treat a myriad of disorders. Cord blood stem cells are being used more frequently and studied more seriously, as evidenced by the explosion of scientific literature on the topic. Currently, clinical and pre-clinical trials are being done in the field, treating conditions as severe as heart failure. Coupled with regenerative medicine, cord blood stem cells potentially carry the future of research and medicine in treating tissue damage, genetic disorders, and degenerative diseases. Read about new applications for cord blood stem cells and new techniques for banking cord blood — the future of regenerative medicine therapy. Comprehensive coverage of the medical application of cord blood stem cells Practical guide for usage of allogeneic and autologous cord blood in regenerative medicine Covers new applications of cord blood stem cells, particularly transplantation and HIV Introduces new technologies for cord blood stem cells and regenerative medicine