Transplantation of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells for Brain Injury Treatment Supported by Cryo-Save

ZURICH, April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Perinatal brain injury in premature babies often leads to severe disability. No established therapy is available today. Dr. Surbek and his team from the University of Bern (Switzerland), supported by Cryo-Save, studied the therapeutic potential of stem cell transplantation. Human stem cells from the umbilical cord were successfully transplanted into an animal model. These results underline the potential use of umbilical cord stem cells for the treatment of brain injuries in the future.

Umbilical cord stem cells: current and future treatments

Today, umbilical stem cell transplants can already treat a wide variety of blood and bone marrow diseases, blood cancers and immune disorders. Additionally preclinical and clinical trials, testing the use of these stem cells for new therapeutic applications, are under way.  In one of these studies, the ability of stem cells to differentiate into brain tissue is analyzed. This treatment offers the significant potential to generate new tissue that can replace damaged brain areas.

Stem cells successfully transplanted in the brain

In the current study of Dr. Surbek and his research team, a rat model with perinatal brain damage was successfully transplanted with human umbilical cord-derived stem cells. The stem cells survived, homed and migrated into the affected area of the rat brain. The analysis of the proliferation and differentiation of the donor stem cells is ongoing and functional tests will assess the therapeutic effects of the stem cells transplantation.

Collaboration with private stem cell bank Cryo-Save

Cryo-Save supports the development of life saving treatments using umbilical cord stem cells. Cryo-Save is the leading international family stem cell bank cryo-preserving umbilical cord blood stem cells, collected at birth. The study of Dr. Surbek was financially supported by Cryo-Save AG.

About Cryo-Save

Cryo-Save, the leading international family stem cell bank, stores more than 225,000 samples from umbilical cord blood and cord tissue. There are already many diseases treatable by the use of stem cells, and the number of treatments will only increase. Cryo-Save has cryo-preserved samples from over 70 countries on six continents, with ultra-modern processing and storage facilities in Belgium, Germany, Dubai, India and South Africa. http://www.cryo-save.com/group