History In The Making-Cord Blood Transplants

The history of cord blood research and usage may surprise most people. As early as the mid-eighteen hundreds scientists understood cell structures were the basic building block of all human existence. These men who were far ahead of their times also understood that cells generate new cells. The realization that there were stem cells that caused a rise to blood cells was discovered as far back as the early nineteen hundreds.

The dilemma physicians and scientists faced once this controversy in stem cell research discovery became known was how to transplant blood cells or organs from one body to another without rejection occurring. In 1950 a French physician, D. Jean Dausset discovered human leukocytes antigens (HLA). The HLA systems provided much needed information for matching donor and recipient blood types.

Though stem cell research did not cease completely for the next decades there was no real progress made. Improvements only occurred when modern technology and science collided. It wasn't until 1973 that a bone marrow transplant was performed on a five-year-old. This was most remarkable in that it involved an unrelated donor.

Umbilical cord blood and the seemingly endless possibilities that it held for the medical community came to be recognized in 1988. As with any medical pioneering situation there are controversies surrounding cord blood research and usage.

Most people in the medical community recognize cord blood technology as a gift and regard it as a necessary aspect to fighting specific diseases. However there are always reasons to question non-traditional or "new-wave" ideas. This questioning occurs even in the medical field where the motivation is saving and prolonging life.

A young boy suffering from a rare anemia called Fanconi was the first to receive cord blood transplant. Fantastically, today controversy in stem cell research there is more than five hundred cord blood transplants completed each year. There are countless facilities that store or bank cord blood. Parents have options to donate cord blood for anonymous usage or to sequester private facilities to safe-keep cord blood for future personal use.

This history leads us to modern day where groundbreaking progress occurs seemingly on a daily basis. As history goes, cord blood is no exception to the ongoing skepticism of new techniques that pertain to transplants. As luck has it there are always pioneers that trudge forward through the controversy to prolong lives, give quality to life, and to give hope to patients who might not have had the glimmer of hope yesterday.