Quality Control in Cord Blood Banking

The hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the umbilical cord (HPC, Cord Blood) have the potential to engraft and differentiate in the bone marrow with subsequent trilineage hematopoiesis. The collection, processing and storage of HPC, Cord Blood should preserve the cell number and characteristics to protect their hematopoietic potential. Federal regulations establish guidelines for HPC, Cord Blood manufacturing and testing to ensure the safety, purity, potency and identity of the product. Accrediting organizations for cord blood banks, including the AABB and the Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), provide a series of guidelines for developing safe processes and procedures in cellular therapy activities. Additionally, clinical data based on outcome analysis provide evidence to help in the process of unit selection for a given patient, based on compatibility, cell dose and potency of the product.