Perinatal Stem Cells Isolated From Complete Umbilical Cord Tissue for Family Stem Cell Banking and Potential Therapeutic Use

Abstract Using cells for therapeutic intervention is not new. Reconstitution with donor hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) after myeloablation is an early example of regenerative medicine using cells. Cord blood (CB), a liquid source of perinatal HSCs collected after birth, has been used as an HSC source and is now under clinical investigation in children with cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder. Other perinatal stem cells (PSCs) are also available at birth. This chapter describes a heterogeneous population of PSCs isolated using enzymatic digestion from the complete umbilical cord tissue (CT-PSCs). The opportunity to bank and potentially use native CT-PSCs therapeutically requires phenotypic analysis and functional characterization in a representative animal model of injury. This chapter describes such cells and their use in a model of hypoxic ischemic injury. These and other studies may enable the use of CT-PSCs alone or with CB in indications of brain injury or dysfunction.