The first time I heard about stem cells was on a TV soap opera. It fascinated me and I wanted to find out more. I wanted to know why and how they’re collected at birth, but also what they can be used for in terms of treatment of disease and research.
Looking online for this information, I came across this handy infographic by Smart Cells and I thought I’d share it with you.
If you’re not sure what stem cells are, they’re basically biological cells that are found in the body. According to the infographic below, stem cells have the potential to develop into various cell types in the body such as blood, bone, tissue and organs.
You may be wondering they’re so important. Well, put simply they serve as a repair and maintenance system for other body cells and the blood and immune systems.
They can be collected at birth from the umbilical cord blood because it’s a rich source of these potential life-saving stem cells.
I was intrigued to learn that stem cells can be used for the treatment of diseases such as leukaemia, cerebral palsy, sickle cell disease, hodgkin & non-hodgkin lymphoma, spinal cord injuries, thalassemia and more.
They can also be used for research purposes and clinical trial stages for cord tissue for multiple sclerosis, strokes and diabetes.
I find it fascinating how amazing and clever our bodies are. More information can be found in the infographic below.
