Pentastarch Cord Blood Processing - How It Is Done

Think "stem cell banking" and what comes to your mind? Now, before you start looking up on the search engine, let’s help you out. Stem cells are the body's building blocks from which other cells with specialised functions are born. They have the ability to regenerate into different types of specialised cells like brain cells, muscle cells, blood, etc, and are, therefore, used to treat various diseases, including blood cancers. One of the richest sources of these precious stem cells is umbilical cord blood.

The umbilical cord connects the foetus to the mother during pregnancy and is clamped and cut immediately after delivery. At this point, the cord blood containing precious stem cells is drawn in a sample collection bag through a painless process. However, do you know what happens after the sample is collected and reaches the lab? What is cord blood processing and the technology that goes behind it? Let’s explore the answers to all such questions and more.

What Is Umbilical Cord Blood Processing Procedure?

After collection, the umbilical cord blood is transported to the labs for processing. The cord blood is processed to make it ready for cryo-preservation as well as future transplants.

The key aspect of cord blood processing is separation and extraction of high volume of stem cells while also reducing the number and volume of red blood cells. This is because only the stem cells in the cord blood are useful, but not the red blood cells. The red blood cells, on the contrary, can cause complications during future treatments.

It is the buffy coat layer that is eventually considered the final separated component and goes into storage.

The type of technology used for cord blood processing plays a vital role in better separation of the cord blood into the three parts. This, in turn, allows for easier extraction of more stem cells. The cord blood processing technology has a huge impact on the quality of the collection, which can ultimately affect the outcome when used in a transplantation.

LifeCell’s premier cord blood processing technology - Pentastarch - helps in extracting the maximum number of viable nucleated stem cells from the sample while reducing the RBC contamination up to 99%. Let us learn more about the Pentastarch cord blood processing technology and the benefits it offers.

Is Pentastarch Processing Technology Better?

Pentastarch is a liquid reagent used in cell processing to separate and collect therapeutically-relevant cells. These could include collection of stem cells from a variety of human blood sources including umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood and bone marrow.

This technique relies on a unique non-particle-based separation mechanism that segregates the components of blood cells during processing. It offers various advantages such as:

1) Helps Improve Cryopreservation

The right cryopreservation processing technology can go a long way in ensuring the preserved samples remain in good shape for years. Studies suggest that Pentastarch helps significantly improve the cord blood cryopreservation process². 

2) High Yield At Low Cost

Pentastarch provides a high amount of viable cells along with high post-process and post-thaw yield of hematopoietic stem cells (see table 1 & 2)³. This process also does not require any specific or expensive equipment, thereby reducing storage costs.

3) Reduces Storage Volume & Processing Time

In the Pentastarch processing technology, up to six samples can be processed and centrifuged together. This considerably minimises the processing time per sample along with reduction in storage volume.

Pentastarch - Edging Out Competition

Here’s what helps Pentastarch to edge out competition - one at a time!

• Maintains the viability of stem cells
• Fast, reliable separation with improved recovery of nucleated cells
• Being a closed system, Pentastarch can reduce the risk of contamination

To Sum It Up

The technology used for cord blood processing is not often discussed in detail, although it is important. As parents, you may get confused with the term 'processing', especially if it is used as a general description for everything that goes on in a laboratory once the sample arrives.

Therefore, it is a good idea for you to understand the aspects of Pentastarch cord blood processing technology. The best technology is the one that ensures maximum extraction of stem cells while reducing red blood cell contamination. For this, you can rely on our premier Pentastarch cord blood processing technology. Fortunately, LifeCell is the only organisation in India that uses this technology.