Glossary of common terms used in cord blood banking .

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 8:24 AM

AABB- Formerly known  as American Association of Blood Banks. A professional, non-profit organization established in 1947 and dedicated to the education, formulation of standards, policy and other facets of transfusion medicine. AABB grants accreditation for  cord blood banks.

Allogeneic transplant: Stem cells from an unrelated donor.

Autologous transplant:   Using the the patient's( donor) own stem cells for transplant.  

BMT- Bone Marrow transplant- Using  adult stem cells from bone marrow for transplant. 

CBT- Cord blood transplant -  Stem cells from the umbilical cord used in  transplant treatment for both adults and children. These cells are considered  to be a more primitive source of cells than bone marrow and peripheral stem cells.

Cord blood Banking- Long term  cryogenic storage of umbilical cord blood stem cells .

Cord Blood Banks-  Processing and storage facilities  for umbilical cord blood stem cells. 

Cord blood collection kit-  A unit sent to expectant parents to capture the umbilical cord stem cell after the birth of their baby. Typically a collection kit includes a collection blood bag, and a phelebotomy set to collect the mother's blood, which is required for cord blood banking.

Cord blood stem cell- A  multipotent stem cell from umbilical cord that has the ability to differentiate into many cell types. Cord blood stem cells are hematopoietic ( blood- forming) cells that  contain red blood cell, white blood cells, platelets and plasma.

Cord Tissue: Cord blood tissue is  a segment of the actual umbilical cord with accompanying cells.

Graft vs. host disease (GVHD): GVHD  is a complication that can occur  from an allogenic  transplant.

Hematopoietic stem cell: A stem cell that  can develop into red and white blood cells and platelets.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant: A transplant  utilizing  stem cells derived from cord blood, placenta, peripheral blood or bone marrow.

Mesenchymal stem cells(MSC'S):  Multipotent cells that can differentiate into hematopoietic and connective tissue.  

Multipotent:  Stem cells that have  the ability to develop into more than one cell type of the body.

Related allogeneic transplant: The  stem cell donor is a related family member of the recipient.

Stem cells:  Master cells  that can differentiate  and to give rise to specialized cells.  Stem Cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Many stem cells types can repair and replenish other cells. 

Umbilical cord blood stem cells: Stem cells from the umbilical cord a that contain  all of the blood cells in the body (hematopoietic) however can also give rise  many cell types.

Undifferentiated: A cell that has not yet developed into a specialized cell type.

Marion Kalstein Welch