| Review: |
Advances in stem cell research have already saved many lives. Here the authors look at perinatal stem cells – the cells generated as a result of pregnancy, which fall on the continuum between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood are medicinally valuable for a treatment of haematological disorders, and we suspect that stem cells from the Wharton’s jelly may prove to be the source used for co-transplantation with haematopoietic stem cells to improve engraftment and aid the treatment of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy or even cancer. This book provides a tutorial on the current state of the art in perinatal stem cell research. It describes the underlying biology and potential therapeutic uses of: post-gestational maternal peripheral blood; umbilical cord blood; Wharton’s jelly; amniotic fluid; amnion lining the amniotic cavity; umbilical vein; chorionic mesenchymal stromal cells; multi-potent cells; and placenta stem cells. |