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Title : THE UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD
Date : Feb 26, 2022
Description :
GS III
Topic à Science and Technology related issues
- Context:
- After undergoing an umbilical cord blood transplant, a woman in the United States was cured of HIV.
- She is the third person in the world to be cured of HIV, and the first woman.
- What is HIV and how does it spread:
- The human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV, is an infection that targets the immune system by killing CD4 cells, which help the body respond to infection.
- When hematopoietic stem cells infects CD4 cells, it begins reproducing and killing the cells, weakening the immune system and rendering the body more vulnerable to "opportunistic infections" that take advantage of the immune system's weakness.
- What is the significance of this:
- This was the first time an HIV patient received an umbilical cord blood transplant that worked. Treatment will most likely become more readily available as a result of this strategy.
- Because this groundbreaking technique only requires partial matches rather than exact matches, it opens up treatment choices for people of many races.
- What is Cord Blood and How Does It Work:
- The blood that stays in the umbilical cord and placenta after delivery is known as cord blood (short for umbilical cord blood).
- It contains hematopoietic stem cells, which are special cells that can be used to treat certain disorders.
- What is cord blood banking, and how does it work:
- The procedure of collecting cord blood , removing and cryogenically freezing its stem cells and other immune system cells for future medical use is known as cord blood banking.
- Cord blood banking is widely recommended as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for haematological malignancies and diseases where transplantation is indicated.
- The use of cord blood as a source of stem cells for all other disorders has yet to be established.
- Source à The Press Information Bureau