Amniotic fluid stem cells are a perfect match for your child, meaning organs and tissues that may be grown from these cells will always be accepted by his or her body. Currently, there are 160 medical studies around the world evaluating cells similar to the ones found in the amniotic fluid (known as mesenchymal stem cells) that may lead to medical advancements. In fact, these cells are already used for spinal surgery for post-surgery bone healing, and many more medical advances are foreseen in the future.
You may have heard of cord blood banking, which contains stem cells that can be used to treat blood-related conditions. What is different about amniotic fluid stem cells is that they are multifunctional so they can grow into many different organs and tissues. That means these cells have the potential to treat a wide range of conditions.
It is easy and safe to collect your amniotic fluid during prenatal tests throughout your entire pregnancy. Amniotic fluid is already collected during some prenatal tests, and now you have the option to preserve a small portion of this fluid for decades. Preserving a small portion of amniotic fluid gives parents peace of mind knowing that may help protect their child’s future health.
References
www.clinicaltrials.gov; http://www.nutechmedical.com/catalog_nucel.php; http://www.orthofix.com/products/trinity-evolution.asp?cid=36; De Coppi P., et al., Isolation of amniotic stem cell lines with potential for therapy. Nature Biotechnology, 2007, 25 (1):100-106.; Sessarego N., et. al., Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells from amniotic fluid: solid perspectives for clinical application. Haematologica, 2008, 93(3):339-346.; Canazi M., et al., Stem cells derived from amniotic fluid: new potentials in regenerative medicine. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 2009, 18 (Suppl 1):17-27.; Siegel N., et al., Human amniotic fluid stem cells: a new perspective. Amino Acids, 2008, 35 (2):291-293.; Schmidt D., et al., Cryopreserved amniotic fluid-derived cells: a lifelong autologous fetal stem cell source for heart valve tissue engineering. Journal of Heart Valve Disease, 2008, 17(4):446-455.; Perin L., et al., Characterization of human amniotic fluid stem cells and their pluripotential capability. Methods Cellular Biology, 2008, 86:85-99.
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