What is the Difference Between Cord Blood and Cord Tissue?
It is a question we get asked often. Many people first hear about cord blood banking because the benefits of it were discovered first, and cord blood transfusions have been an accepted treatment for certain diseases and conditions for years. When conducting further research into the topic, parents may then discover the benefits of cord tissue. The stem cells in cord tissue weren’t identified until the early '90s, and their potential future use in regenerative medicine is still being researched and discovered. This can lead to confusion on how cord blood and cord tissue stem cells compare and whether parents should bank one over the other or bank both.
What is Cord Blood?
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta post-delivery. Upon the baby's birth, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut according to the birthing plan arranged with the doctor, leaving an average of 80–120 milliliters, or approximately 1/3 of a cup to 1/2 of a cup, of blood inside. This blood remaining in the cord and placenta is drawn from the cord into a collection bag using a surgical needle.
Despite the seemingly small volume of blood collected, it contains millions of hematopoietic stem cells that can go on to form the blood and immune system.78 It is these stem cells that we isolate, extract, and preserve for their potential future use in the treatment of disease or other medical conditions.
What is Cord Tissue?
Cord tissue is the insulating material (i.e., the Wharton’s jelly) surrounding the vessels of the umbilical cord. Upon delivery, the umbilical cord will be clamped and cut, and a section of the cord (usually a piece measuring four inches in length) can then be saved. The cord tissue can contain millions of mesenchymal stem cells that go on to form a person's nervous system, sensory organs, circulatory tissues, skin, bone, cartilage, and more.77 It is these stem cells that we collect and preserve for their potential future use in the treatment of disease or other medical conditions.
A Deeper Look at Each
Blood provides nutrients and oxygen to all the parts of the body. Cord blood is no different in that it provides nutrients and oxygen, but it provides these life-sustaining substances to the little bundle of joy growing in the mother. All blood contains red cells, white cells, platelets, plasma, and stem cells. The main difference between cord blood and the mother's own blood is that the fetal blood is abundant in the hematopoietic (he-mah-toe-po-ee-tic) stem cells that go on to compose the blood and immune system. These hematopoietic source cells are what are isolated and stored when banking cord blood.
Cord tissue has a clear jelly-like appearance. It contains fats, white cells, and stem cells and serves as insulation for the two arteries and one vein found in the umbilical cord. While it contains epithelial (ep-i-thee-lee-al) and endothelial (en-do-thee-lee-al) stem cells, it is a greater source of mesenchymal (meh-sen-ki-mal) stem cells. These stem cells can go on to become the tissues that compose the nervous system, sensory organs, circulatory tissues, skin, bone, cartilage, and more.77 (Here is an overview of how stem cells work.)
Are They Used Differently?
Some of the diseases cord blood treatsSince cord blood and cord tissue each contain different types of stem cells, it makes sense that they are used differently. Both the hematopoietic stem cells in cord blood and the mesenchymal stem cells in cord tissue may be used to help heal, regenerate, and repair the body, but the conditions and diseases don’t often overlap.
The first cord blood transplant was done over 35 years ago, with the first successful transplant in 1988. Allogeneic cord blood is currently used in transplant medicine. It can be used to treat leukemias, lymphomas, anemias, and inherited metabolic disorders. If the transplant recipient needs treatment for blood cancer or a genetic disease/condition, physicians often require cells from a donor, ideally a close-matched sibling who isn't a carrier of the disease.71
Cord blood and tissue stem cells are at the forefront of research and are being actively explored in nearly 300 clinical trials.65 These trials are investing their potential to treat a wide range of diseases, offering hope for future therapies. Specifically, cord blood stem cells are being used in research for the treatment of conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, diabetes, and more.23,28,29
Cord tissue stem cells are being explored in preclinical and clinical trials for their potential to help regulate immune responses, reduce inflammation, and support the tissue repair mechanism. 80 They are being studied for their potential to treat heart and kidney disease, Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, wound healing, and sports injuries.44
Are They Best Banked Together?
Cord blood and cord tissue contain complementary types of stem cells, making them valuable to preserve together for potential family use. Banking both provides families with options as science and regenerative medicine continue to advance.
Collecting both is simple and convenient: while the doctor collects cord blood after delivery, it takes just a minute more to safely collect cord tissue at the same time. Birth is the only moment these valuable stem cells are available, so we recommend that all expectant parents consider preserving both cord blood and cord tissue while they have the opportunity.