This new concept, costing R9 600, is essentially a type of biological "insurance policy" against diseases such as leukaemia, for which a bone-marrow stem cell transplant is needed.

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Future use for repairs
Although the use of these frozen stem cells is relatively limited, researchers believe the stem cells of all babies born now, could be used at least twice during their lifetime.

Blood from the umbilical cord, which is usually discarded after birth, is the richest source of these stem cells.

Stem cells are the cells that create organs in a developing embryo. These multipurpose cells also have the ability to repair new tissue and organs after damage through sickness or chemotherapy.

Treatment of debilitating disease
The stored stem cells, which can serve as an alternative to bone marrow, do not only offer new hope for leukaemia patients.

They also could help in future in the treatment of high cholesterol, diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease, spinal-cord injuries and strokes.

An alternative to expensive transplants
Leukaemia patients usually undergo a bone-marrow transplant as a final treatment alternative.

In such a case, the patient's own bone marrow is destroyed and replaced with the marrow of a relative or suitable donor.

Among the white population of South Africa there is only a 60% chance that a leukaemia patient will find a suitable donor carrying stem cells that are compatible with those of the patient.

Among other populations groups, the chances are much smaller.

If a patient wanted to use an international bone-marrow register, it could easily cost more than R250 000.

The frozen stem cells, which can also be used on the baby's relatives, can therefore ultimately be a much cheaper option.

Great interest
Geoffrey Purcell of Cryoclinic UK, a commercial stem-cell bank which opened branches in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban this year, says 20 South African couples have already made use of this offer.

Although the industry is still in its early days, Purcell receives about three calls a day.

"All the couples have to do is to contact us before the birth. The mother is tested for diseases like HIV/Aids and hepatitis B. When the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut in the usual way.

"The blood is drained into a special sterile retainer bag provided by Cryoclinic.

Can be stored for 30 years
"The umbilical cord blood is then flown to Belgium where the stem cells are withdrawn and multiplied. The cells are stored at a temperature of -196°C or colder in a Belgian laboratory. They are frozen during the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen so that there are no problems in case of a power failure."

Purcell says the cells can be stored for at least 30 years.

Although the laboratory is storing only the stem cells from umbilical cords, they believe they soon will be able to collect and store the stem cells of older children and adults.

Purcell says parents in Europe already have been able to have babies' stem cells stored at commercial stem-cell banks for the past 18 months. In America, this has been possible for the past 10 years. – (Die Burger)

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