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    What does umbilical cord and placenta MSCs treat?

    Saving More Than Just Cord Blood: The Power of Umbilical Cord and Placenta Cells

    Today, expecting parents have the unique opportunity to preserve not only their newborn’s umbilical cord blood but also the umbilical cord tissue and placenta at birth. This valuable biological material can be used for cellular therapies - not only for the child but potentially for parents, grandparents, and other family members, as the amount of material preserved allows for multiple therapeutic applications.

    From the umbilical cord and placenta, mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells (MSCs) are isolated - a key difference from cord blood, which contains various stem cell types but is primarily rich in hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells.

    What Are Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)?

    MSCs have tremendous regenerative potential and can differentiate into various cell types that form body tissues - especially bone, cartilage, and connective tissues. Thanks to these properties, MSCs are widely used in:

    • Sports medicine and orthopedics
    • Dentistry
    • Tissue engineering - enabling the creation of artificial heart valves, joints, blood vessels, and more.

    Conditions MSCs May Help Address Include:

    • Treatment of degenerative joint diseases and pain
    • Cartilage and meniscus reconstruction
    • Repair of muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries
    • Assistance in bone healing

    Moreover, MSCs can modulate immune responses shortly after administration, making them promising for treating autoimmune diseases and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), which can occur after bone marrow, cord blood, or organ transplantation, as well as various inflammatory conditions.

    Clinical Uses and Ongoing Research

    MSCs are most commonly applied in the treatment of:

    • Diabetes mellitus
    • Multiple sclerosis
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus
    • Vasculitis
    • Rehabilitation after prolonged treatments and mechanical ventilation

    Since 2020, MSC therapies have also been used successfully in managing complications from COVID-19, including the “cytokine storm” phase.

    MSCs’ Broader Regenerative Properties

    Besides musculoskeletal regeneration, MSCs can differentiate into cells of the nervous system, cardiovascular system, and liver, and have a paracrine effect - activating the patient’s own stem cells and enhancing natural regenerative capacity.

    Thanks to these properties, MSCs show promise in improving the quality of life for patients with:

    • Autism spectrum disorders
    • Cerebral palsy
    • Alzheimer’s disease
    • Parkinson’s disease
    • Cardiac muscle recovery post-heart attack and stroke

    Sources and Advantages of MSCs

    MSCs are obtained from:

    • Umbilical cord tissue
    • Placenta
    • Adipose (fat) tissue
    • Bone marrow
    • Hair follicles

    Stem cells from the umbilical cord and placenta have distinct advantages: they are the youngest, most active cells, virtually free from infections, and unaffected by the donor’s age or diseases. For instance, MSCs from the adipose tissue or bone marrow of patients with multiple sclerosis may have reduced therapeutic potential.

    Storage and Processing at Hemafund

    Hemafund stores umbilical cord and placenta tissue both as frozen tissue samples and as isolated MSCs. MSCs from adipose tissue and hair follicles are stored as cultivated, isolated cells.

    Each MSC sample preserved at Hemafund undergoes independent verification in certified laboratories to confirm:

    • Stem cell identity
    • Viability and quality

    Family Benefits of MSC Storage

    MSCs can be used by multiple family members, not just the child. They can be expanded from a small preserved cell quantity to a therapeutic dose, usually calculated based on the patient's weight.

    Lower doses are applied when combined with cord blood stem cells or for localized administration.

    Genetic Relationship and Clinical Application

    Umbilical cord MSCs are genetically related to the child and are currently the most commonly used for clinical and experimental therapies.

    Hemafund recommends preserving cord MSCs after 2-3 passages (cultivation cycles), stored in separate cryovials. This method balances cost and therapeutic potential, enabling faster and cheaper generation of treatment doses compared to starting from tissue.

    The average umbilical cord yields 20–70 million MSCs after two passages, depending on cord length, thickness, and quality.

    Placental MSCs — A New Frontier

    Placental MSCs are an emerging product in regenerative medicine. Besides therapeutic use, they hold promise in cosmetology and reproductive medicine.

    Derived from the fetal part of the placenta (amnion and chorion), placental MSCs can yield 70–200 million cells after 2-3 passages, frozen in aliquots.

    However, placental MSCs carry a slightly higher risk of contamination due to potential exposure to maternal infections during pregnancy, delivery, and transport. Some maternal stem cells may also be present in the sample.

    Diseases and Conditions Treated with MSCs in Clinical Trials and Experimental Therapy

    • Acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after organ or bone marrow transplant
    • Neurological disorders, including:
      • Alzheimer’s disease
      • Autism
      • Cerebral palsy (CP)
      • Multiple system atrophy
      • Parkinson’s disease
      • Spinal cord injury
      • Birth trauma consequences
      • Stroke
      • Traumatic brain injury
    • Autoimmune diseases, such as:
      • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
      • Lupus
      • Multiple sclerosis
      • Psoriasis
      • Rheumatoid arthritis
      • Ulcerative colitis
      • Crohn’s disease
    • Cardiovascular diseases, including:
      • Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack)
      • Cardiomyopathy
      • Critical limb ischemia (CLI)
      • Heart failure
      • Peripheral arterial diseases (PAD)
    • Orthopedic conditions, including:
      • Marie-Strümpell disease
      • Cartilage injury
      • Spondylitis
      • Cleft palate repair
      • Fractures
      • Osteochondral lesions
      • Creation of bioidentical implants
      • Spinal fusion surgery
      • Arthrosis
      • Osteoarthritis
    • Diabetes types I and II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic foot ulcer
    • Genetic and metabolic disorders, including:
      • Senile asthenia syndrome
      • Duchenne muscular dystrophy
      • Epidermolysis
      • Hereditary ataxia
      • Metabolic syndrome
      • Severe combined immunodeficiency
      • Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
    • Pulmonary system disorders, including:
      • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), including COVID-19 induced
      • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants
    • Other conditions:
      • Prolonged mechanical ventilation consequences
      • Burns
      • Eye diseases (ophthalmology)
      • Liver cirrhosis
      • Liver failure
      • Fistulas
      • Uterine scars
      • Erectile dysfunction
      • Premature ovarian failure
      • Peyronie’s disease

    Hemafund’s Experience and Recommendations

    Unlike most cryobanks worldwide, Hemafund not only stores MSCs but also has extensive experience in their clinical application. Therapeutic doses ready for administration are prepared in Hemafund’s own laboratory, using both freshly isolated MSCs from umbilical cord tissue and frozen samples.

    Choosing How to Store Umbilical Cord and Placenta

    Preserving tissue as frozen samples can be more economical upfront and may allow cheaper, more effective cultivation in the future. This option is suitable for young families who do not anticipate cell therapy in the near term (10–40 years).

    The more advanced and effective approach is to cultivate MSCs from fresh umbilical cord tissue within 48 hours after birth. These cells are obtained naturally, in greater quantity and higher quality. Additionally, the cryobank stores a fully tested and documented deposit accepted worldwide for clinical use or further storage.

    For Families Needing Treatment Now

    If stem cell therapy is currently required, Hemafund recommends Premium, Maximum, or Ultra storage packages, which include already isolated MSCs. This approach saves time and costs during therapy.

    Important Considerations When Choosing Storage Method

    • Obtaining a therapeutic dose from frozen tissue takes 2-3 months; from isolated MSCs - 10-14 days
    • Cost of obtaining therapeutic dose from frozen tissue is 1.5–2 times higher than from pre-isolated MSCs
    • Few laboratories can isolate MSCs from frozen tissue and reliably produce therapeutic doses
    • The quality and quantity of MSCs obtained from frozen tissue is unpredictable, making planning difficult

    Questions?

    If you have any questions or doubts, please join our online lecture and tour or call us at +380 44 098 496 09 26.  

    Resources:

    European Medicines Agency. Guidelines on Human Cell-Based Medicinal Products. EMA, 2023, https://www.ema.europa.eu.

    Le Blanc, Katarina, and Olle Ringdén. “Immunomodulation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Clinical Experience.” Journal of Internal Medicine, vol. 262, no. 5, 2007, pp. 509–525. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2796.2007.01844.x.

    Leng, Zikuan, et al. “Transplantation of ACE2⁺ Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improves the Outcome of Patients With COVID-19 Pneumonia.” Aging and Disease, vol. 11, no. 2, 2020, pp. 216–228. doi:10.14336/AD.2020.0228.

    Mayo, Laura C., et al. “Umbilical Cord and Placental Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Clinical Applications: Current Status and Future Perspectives.” Stem Cells International, vol. 2021, 2021, Article ID 6662164. doi:10.1155/2021/6662164.

    Pittenger, Mark F., et al. “Mesenchymal Stem Cell Perspective: Cell Biology to Clinical Progress.” npj Regenerative Medicine, vol. 4, 2019, Article 22. doi:10.1038/s41536-019-0083-6.

    Shi, Liang, et al. “Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Severe COVID-19.” Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, vol. 6, no. 1, 2021, Article 339. doi:10.1038/s41392-021-00797-9.

    Squillaro, Tiziana, Gianpaolo Peluso, and Umberto Galderisi. “Clinical Trials With Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An Update.” Cell Transplantation, vol. 25, no. 5, 2016, pp. 829–848. doi:10.3727/096368915X689622.

    Thomson, Jennifer A., et al. “Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine: Focus on Clinical Applications.” Stem Cell Research & Therapy, vol. 11, no. 1, 2020, Article 193. doi:10.1186/s13287-020-01773-0.

    Trounson, Alan, and Clare McDonald. “Stem Cell Therapies in Clinical Trials: Progress and Challenges.” Cell Stem Cell, vol. 17, no. 1, 2015, pp. 11–22. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2015.06.007.

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves First Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy To Treat Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft Versus Host Disease in Children. 20 Dec. 2024, https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-mesenchymal-stromal-cell-therapy-treat-steroid-refractory-acute-graft-versus-host