Cord Blood vs Cord Tissue: Key Differences and Medical Uses

Introduction

If you are a mom or dad-to-be, you may have definitely come across the words cord blood banking and cord tissue banking. Many would-be parents discover the benefits of cord blood and cord tissue banking during their research. However, this can become confusing as parents start to wonder how cord blood and cord tissue cells differ and which one they should bank. Cord blood and cord tissue banking offer promising benefits for future disease treatment and regenerative therapies. Collecting and preserving umbilical cord blood and tissue stem cells at the time of the child’s birth provides a unique opportunity to secure powerful, potentially life-saving biological resources for the child and potentially their family. Both cord blood and cord tissue contain potent stem cells. However, they differ in terms of cell type, medical uses, and therapeutic potential. Let’s learn more about the differences to help parents make informed decisions on stem cell banking to maximise future treatment options.

What is Cord Blood Banking?

Cord blood banking is the collection of blood from a newborn’s umbilical cord and placenta immediately after birth. This blood is rich in hematopoietic stem cells, which have the potential to develop into all types of blood and immune cells. The benefits of cord blood banking include its potential to treat over 80 blood-related diseases, such as leukaemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anaemia, and certain immune deficiencies.

The process of cord blood collection is safe, noninvasive, and occurs soon after birth, before the umbilical cord is discarded. The collected blood is processed, cryopreserved, and securely stored in private or public banks for long-term preservation. This ensures the stem cells remain viable for potential future treatments, offering a biological insurance policy for families.

What are Cord Tissue and Cord Tissue Stem Cells?

Cord tissue is also collected from the umbilical cord, just like cord blood, but it contains the connective tissue, especially Wharton’s jelly (a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells). Cord blood cells are primarily blood cells and can differentiate only into different types of blood cells. In contrast, cord tissue is more versatile and has the potential to differentiate into various cell types, including bone, cartilage, muscle, and nerve cells.

The mesenchymal stem cells collected from the cord tissue have potent regenerative and immunomodulatory properties.

Differences between Cord Blood & Cord Tissue

Here’s a quick glimpse of the differences between cord blood and cord tissue!

• Stem cell type: Cord blood contains haemopoietic stem cells, whereas cord tissue comprises mesenchymal stem cells.
• Tissue source: Cord blood is the blood from the umbilical cord and placenta, whereas cord tissue contains connective tissue like Wharton’s jelly.
• Primary medical use: Cord blood is currently used mainly for blood and immune system disorders. Cord tissue, on the other hand, is being used for experimental regenerative therapies.
• Treatment approval: Cord blood is FDA-approved for over 80 diseases, while cord tissue is currently in the clinical trial stage.
• Collection timing: Cord blood is collected immediately after a child’s birth, before the cord is clamped. Cord tissue is collected after cord blood is collected.
• Storage: Cord blood is often stored at public or private blood banks, but cord tissue is currently only stored at private cord tissue banks.

From these differences, it is clear that cord blood has proven uses in transplant therapies, whereas cord tissue has promising uses in regenerative treatments.

Current medical uses of Cord Blood

There are several established uses of cord blood transplantation, particularly for the treatment of haematologic and immunological disorders. It has been approved and widely used for over 80 diseases, including leukaemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anaemia, and certain metabolic disorders.

Cord blood is a good alternative to bone marrow transplantation as it offers a few advantages:

• It is easier to collect
• Less stringent donor matching requirements
• Reduced risk of graft-versus-host disease

Cord blood is also being investigated for potential uses in neurological and autoimmune diseases.

Regenerative applications of Cord Blood & Cord Tissue

Both cord blood and cord tissue stem cells have potential applications in regenerative medicine. While cord blood contains some mesenchymal stem cells, cord tissue is especially rich in these cells. For this reason, cord tissue can heal injured tissues, reduce inflammation and modulate immune responses.

Current research and clinical trials are exploring the use of cord tissue in repairing cardiac tissue, spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders (like cerebral palsy and autism), autoimmune diseases, and orthopaedic injuries.

Future potential of Cord Tissue

Cord tissue has been gaining increasing attention due to its rich content of mesenchymal stem cells, which have medical potential. Today, over 300 clinical trials worldwide are investigating the use of cord tissue in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune diseases, and wound repair.

AI-driven biobanking technologies also promise enhanced quality control and treatment efficacy assessment. Cord tissue stem cells could become a cornerstone in regenerative medicine as scientific knowledge and clinical evidence evolve.

Cost of Cord Blood vs Cord Tissue Banking

The cost of banking cord blood or cord tissue varies depending on the company and the type of storage option. The cost of cord blood banking in Dubai ranges from AED 18,000 for basic storage to approximately AED 37,000, which includes placental storage.

The cost of cord blood banking includes:

• Initial processing fees
• Annual storage costs

Cord tissue banking costs are comparable, but they are often bundled with cord blood banking for a more cost-effective option. Bundled packages enable families to store both types of stem cells cost-effectively, thereby increasing therapeutic options without incurring additional expenses. Factors influencing cost include processing methods, storage duration, and extra services such as testing and sample retrieval.

Your Decision Guide: Which Is Best for You?

As would-be parents, most couples have questions like, ‘Which should I bank—cord blood, cord tissue, or both?’ ‘How likely is usage?’ ‘What about compatibility and costs?’

Generally, cord blood banking offers immediate and proven benefits for many diseases, especially blood disorders. Cord tissue banking holds promise in regenerative medicine, but is currently mostly investigational.

Banking both maximises options, but the decisions depend on family health history, financial considerations, and future medical advancements. Families with histories of blood or immune diseases may prioritise cord blood, whereas those who want to safeguard against future regenerative treatments should consider cord tissue.

It is recommended to consult medical professionals and review reputable banking programs to make informed decisions for their children and families.

Conclusion

Banking both cord blood and cord tissue together enhances the range of future treatment possibilities for a family, as they combine the proven benefits of cord blood transplantation with the exciting regenerative potential and uses of cord tissue. This combined approach ensures the long-term storage of stem cells that can treat a wide range of diseases, including blood cancers, tissue injuries, and autoimmune conditions.

If you are still unsure which option is better for your family, please reach out to our experts at First Stem Cell and Genomics Laboratory.

Book your consultation today!