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OVERVIEW:
A stem cell is a cell that has the unique ability to develop into various specialised cells in the body. Hence, they are used to replace damaged/ diseased cells and tissues in the body. Haematopoietic stem cells are used widely to treat disorders of the blood and bone marrow.
Donating stem cells
Stem cells are classified depending on their origin as:
Autologous stem cells:
These are the stem cells collected from the patient himself. Some people bank their stem cells in case the need arises in future. This is called an ‘autologous’ transplant.
Allogeneic stem cells:
these are stem cells collected from others. They can be sourced from bone marrow or peripheral blood, or umbilical cord and are named likewise.
- Bone marrow stem cells
- Peripheral blood stem cells
- Umbilical cord stem cells
People usually volunteer to donate stem cells for an allogeneic transplant either because they have a loved one who needs a match or because they want to help people. Some people register with a ‘stem cell registry’ to help donate their stem cells to unrelated individuals when the need arises.
HLA matching :
- HLA matching is an important factor for allogeneic stem cell donation.
- People who join a volunteer donor registry will most likely have their HLA tissue type kept on file until they reach age 60 years.
- If a possible stem cell donor is found to be a good match for a recipient, steps are taken to teach the donor about the transplant process and make sure he or she is making an informed decision.
- The donation is always voluntary and always received after taking the donor’s consent.
- Donors’ overall health and wellbeing are checked prior to stem cell donation.
Facilities available at our Stem cell Centre :
- Stem cell collection and cryo-preservation of in-house collections for up to 10 years.
- Stem cell cryopreservation of stem cells from other centres
- Cell reduction- TCR-alpha, beta cells, CD 19 cells using CLINIMACS system
- Extracorporeal Photopheresis in case of chronic Graft versus Host disease, solid organ rejection, Cutaneous T cell lymphoma
- Donor lymphocyte collections and infusions for graft rejections
- Product modifications: Plasma reduction and red cell reduction, stem cell washing
