First Stage Testings & Umbilical Cord Collection
The healthy mothers voluntarily donate the umbilical cord blood post the birth of their children. Each mother when comes for baby delivery is tested for any and all major disease. Along with this a detailed medical history is also acquired of the mother and family. There are strict regulations regarding the blood donation which ensures only the best treatment is imparted. There are plenty of rounds of testing which are conducted by the qualified doctors to understand any case of pathogen. The women who are screened safe and free from any diseases and ill-health are the ones allowed for umbilical cord transplant.
Second Round of Testing
The second step which takes places occurs in the specialized laboratory. The samples once collected are tested negatively for any kind of communicable disease. The sample is then transferred to the laboratories where it is officially tested and becomes a muse of Biotechnology. The laboratory where the sample goes for testing is wholly responsible for each and every sample which is processed and is provided to the patient. The sample which is collected is then administered under a second round of testing. The laboratory also carries out testing for various cytomegalovirus, exogenous virus, micro-organisms like the aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, fungi, etc., survival rate, stem cell and the surface markers along with stem cell biological characteristics which helps with colony forming ability, differential capacity that is a must in each step, since it ensures the highest and the best quality to its cell products.
Separation
After the cord blood serum is obtained and the stem cells are prepared for the process of culturing, it is accomplished by dividing the desired components which are attained from the cord blood. The blood cells require removal which must be done from the blood serum and the stem cells since, it is required that no interference takes place with future injections. A centrifuge is then utilized to separate and differentiate the serum and the stem cells from that of the red cells and platelets. This is a highly refined, cultured and specialized process of separation. Post the separation process is completed, the stem cells are then taken away and removed for culture.
Culturing Process
The stem cells which are carefully derived from each and every umbilical cord are then seeded into a flask which is filled well to the brim with a culture medium. The medium is the one which does not contain any animal products, this involves fetal calf serum as well, but it is escalated in functionality with various cell growth factors. The flasks are then placed in a sterilized, temperature and the humidity is controlled of the incubator. The stem cells are then well expanded in the culture medium. Once the culturing is comprehensively complete, the culture medium is withered or washed away and is then harvested.
Storage
The cell products are stored at a consistent -196 degree Celsius, they are cryo-preserved with an automatic supplement of liquid nitrogen which is done using the highly advanced system of BioArchive. This technology allows for the integrated control of freezing temperature rate which totally avoids the sudden drop and dips in the temperature. The cryo-preservation storage equipment is the one which is well-equipped with a 24h real-time control system and in case of power-failure or any other emergency, it is a redundant fail-safe system which ensures that the normal operation is carried out well. The vacuum protection system can maintain a proper temperature for about 20 days with no outside supplement of liquid nitrogen.
Packing and Transport
All the batches of the stem cells are administered to undergo under the final testing. During the process they are checked well for quantity and quality. Once the stem cells are checked well for safety, each and every unit is placed well into a sterile vial or a sterile IV bag which can be used for future transplantation. All the products are well cataloged individually and then tracked while in the process of transit. The cell transplants may take place in anywhere around two to three days a week.