Expansion of Umbilical Cord Blood Using a Unique Bio-system

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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By doing this study, researchers hope to develop a special technique and laboratory conditions to help support umbilical stem cell growth and multiplication. In this project, researchers propose a three dimensional (3D) microenvironment that mimics the bone marrow stem cell microenvironment, with its supporting cells of osteoblasts and stromal cells. In theory, this will result in better expansion of cord blood stem cells ex vivo.

Detailed Description
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To successfully expand umbilical cord blood stem cells ex vivo, a microenvironment that resembles the stem cell microenvironment, or stem cell 'niche' should be created. In designing this bio-system, we make use of several observations. First, bone osteoblasts are important in promoting hematopoietic stem cell expansion, accordingly, this bio-system will ensure the physical proximity of the cord blood stem cells to a 3D bone tissue derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These MSCs will be isolated from Wharton's jelly, and by using an osteogenic medium and special scaffolds, these MSCs will differentiate into osteogenic progenitors creating a 3D bone structure. The other observation is that, co-culture of cord blood stem cells with mesenchymal stem cells is superior to liquid cultures in terms of ex vivo expansion , accordingly, in this experiment, undifferentiated MSCs will be co-cultured with cord blood stem cells in this created 3D bone structure. This is a unique design that has the potential to expand cord blood stem cells more efficiently.

Official Title
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Ex Vivo Expansion of Umbilical Cord Blood Using a Unique Bio-system

Conditions
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Pregnancy

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: females that consent to permit researchers collect the discarded umbilical cords from the placenta and use for research purposes. Exclusion Criteria: -

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| bio-system for ex-vivo expansion of umbilical cord blood stem cells | To successfully expand the umbilical cord blood stem cells, a microenvironment that resembles the stem cell microenvironment, or stem cell 'niche' should be created. In designing this bio-system, we make use of several observations. Firstly, bone osteoblasts are important in promoting hematopoietic stem cell expansion , accordingly, this bio-system will ensure the physical proximity of the cord blood stem cells to a 3D bone tissue derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These MSCs will be isolated from Wharton's jelly, and by using an osteogenic medium and special scaffolds, these MSCs will differentiate into osteogenic progenitors creating a 3D bone structure . The other observation is that, co-culture of cord blood stem cells with mesenchymal stem cells is superior to liquid cultures in terms of ex vivo expansion , accordingly, in this experiment, undifferentiated MSCs will be co-cultured with cord blood stem cells in the created 3D bone structure. | one year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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umbilical cord, umbilical cord blood collection, pregnancy