Chapter 2 Regenerative Potential of Cord Blood

The field of regenerative medicine is dedicated to the study of repairing, replacing, or regenerating damaged human cells, tissues, or organs to restore or establish normal function [1]. This could be approached through numerous strategies, from stimulating endogenous processes to repairing damaged tissue to deriving or transplanting entire organs to replace those that are beyond repair. Though the field is currently in its infancy, regenerative medicine is predicted to be one of the most important disciplines in the next decade, with applications in a wide variety of conditions. Potential cells that could serve as source materials for regenerative medicine and cellular therapies include hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells derived from bone marrow (BM) or umbilical cord blood (CB), placental and amniotic fluid and tissues, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), skin cells, and other organ-specific cells that could be engineered to perform reparative functions. This chapter will explore some of the potential regenerative applications for which CB could serve as a valuable source of cells.