Function of the umbilical cord

The umbilical cord serves to supply the embryo or fetus with oxygen and nutrients. This is made possible by the umbilical vessels embedded in the tissue. These vessels are an exception.

Normally, arteries transport oxygen-rich blood and veins transport oxygen-poor blood. This is exactly the opposite with the umbilical cord. The two umbilical arteries transport the used, oxygen-poor blood of the foetus to the placenta, where it is washed around by maternal, oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood.

The replenished and regenerated blood is then transported back from the placenta to the fetus via the slightly larger umbilical vein to supply the fetus. After birth, the umbilical cord is tied twice to interrupt the blood circulation. The umbilical cord is then cut. This is usually done about 5-10 minutes after birth. From then on, the infant is responsible for its own care.

Stem cells from the umbilical cord

Stem cells are immature and undifferentiated body cells. Stem cells are subject to a constant process of division. The resulting daughter cell can either also be an undifferentiated stem cell that divides again, or it can already have taken a certain “direction of development”.

This is done by certain messenger substances (hormones) which activate the cell and “indicate” to them which type of cell it should transform into. The special feature of this is that stem cells can transform into several different tissues and can therefore fulfill many different functions at the same time. Stem cells are so popular in research because they are so adaptable and therefore have a high potential to heal damage or diseases. The umbilical cord blood contains mainly “hematopoietic” stem cells, which are also called blood stem cells and can differentiate into various blood cells.However, the umbilical cord tissue contains mainly “mesenchymal” stem cells, which after differentiation can generate a wide variety of tissues such as bone, cartilage, muscle or connective tissue.

Umbilical Cord Blood

Umbilical cord blood is incredibly rich in blood stem cells from the baby as these are on their journey to the bone marrow at the time of birth, where they eventually remain and can also be found in the adult. However, it is much easier and more convenient for the patient to take a blood sample than to have a bone marrow puncture. In addition, the baby’s blood stem cells are still very young and therefore very capable of dividing.

They have not yet undergone an aging process and are usually free of viruses. The puncture of the umbilical cord at birth is painless for mother and child and is very easy to perform. There is a small loss of blood of about 60-200 milliliters, which is very well compensated by healthy children.

All these reasons have motivated many physicians to increasingly do research with umbilical cord blood. Meanwhile, it is mainly used for blood diseases such as leukemia, as well as for some other hereditary diseases. Here a stem cell transplantation can lead to a cure.

Research is also currently underway for the therapy of type 1 diabetes and autism. Umbilical cord blood (and thus the stem cells it contains) can be collected at birth by puncturing the umbilical cord and then stored. As described above, blood stem cells have numerous applications (blood cancer, hereditary diseases) and are therefore of great medical importance.

The blood that is collected is usually stored and stored at about -196°C with liquid nitrogen. The costs for private storage are between 1500 and 3000 Euros and must be paid by the parents. However, there is also the possibility to give the blood free of charge to a public donor bank for stem cell donation.