Patent ID: 8278102

Claim:
A method for recovering viable progenitor cells from cryogenically frozen umbilical cord tissue, comprising the steps of: i) thawing the cord tissue, wherein the cord tissue is an umbilical cord blood vessel, or a segment thereof, bearing perivascular Wharton's jelly comprising said progenitor cells and a cryopreserving solution comprising a serum-containing medium and a cryopreservant, and wherein, prior to cryogenic freezing, the cord tissue is contacted with said cryopreserving solution by the step consisting of immersing said cord tissue in said cryopreserving solution to allow passive permeation about the exterior of said cord tissue with said cryopreserving solution, ii) displacing the cryopreservant with an aqueous liquid; and iii) recovering said viable progenitor cells from the cord tissue so treated.