| ADULT
STEM CELLS: |
Stem cells that are harvested from mature human tissue.
|
| ALLOGENEIC: |
A transplant that involves using stem cells that are
harvested from a person other than the recipient of the stem cells. |
| AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION OF BLOOD BANKS: |
The leading organization that accredits umbilical cord
blood banks. |
| AUTOLOGOUS: |
A transplant that involves using stem cells that are
harvested from the same person receiving the transplant. |
| CORD BLOOD BANKING: |
A method of storing stem cells collected from fetal umbilical
cord blood over a prolonged period of time. |
| CORD
BLOOD DONATION: |
Cord blood that is given to a public bank to be used
by anyone in need. |
| CORD BLOOD
STORAGE: |
Freezing cord blood for future use in transplants. Cord
blood samples are usually stored in liquid nitrogen and are contained in
either bags or vials in the freezer. |
| CORD BLOOD: |
Blood that is present in the umbilical cord. |
| DIFFERENTIATION: |
The process in which scientists influence the manipulation
of stem cells through different signals or chemicals. |
| EMBRYO: |
A fertilized egg that has begun to divide but is still in the earliest
stages of development. |
| HUMAN
EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS: |
Stem cells harvested from human embryos. These stem cells
have the ability to become almost any other type of cell. |
| GRAFT vs. HOST
DISEASE: |
A potentially fatal complication arising after a transplant
wherein the transplant recipient's body recognizes the new stem cells as
foreign and attacks them. |
| HUMAN
LEUKOCYTE ANTIGENS (HLA): |
A protein that is found on cells that must be matched
between a donor and a transplant recipient before a transplant can take
place. |
| PLASTICITY: |
The ability to which a stem cell can be manipulated into
becoming another type of cell. |
| PRIVATE
CORD BLOOD BANK: |
A cord blood bank that allows a family to store their
cord blood samples for a fee. This blood is reserved for sole use by the
family. |
| PUBLIC
CORD BLOOD BANK: |
A cord blood bank that accepts donations and stores the
samples for free. This blood can be used by anyone. |
| SIGNALS: |
Stem cells genes are controlled by internal signals.
Possible external signals include chemical secretions, physical contact
with neighboring cells or molecules in the microenvironment. |
| STEM
CELLS: |
A cell that has the ability to become almost any other
type of cell in the body. |
