Hematologic malignancies
Leukaemia is the most common hematologic malignancy. Name Leukaemia refers to a group of diseases with many subtypes, various course, risks and therapies. There are two main groups of Leukaemia - acute and chronic (acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – ALL, acute myeloblastic leukaemia – AML, chronic myelocytic leukaemia – CML, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia – CLL). If Leukaemia is not responding to chemotherapy, especially acute leukaemia, autologous or allogenic transplantation is recommended. This depends on the type of Leukaemia and its course.

An ideal donor for allogenic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (HSCT) is HLA-compatible sibling. The probability of siblings to be compatible is 25% (1:4),  in contrast to random voluntary donor, who must be searched among millions. Autologous HSCT is used also in treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma or multiple myeloma.     

Acquire disorders of haematopoiesis
Acquired disorders of haematopoiesis develop after birth or during an adult age (aplastic anaemia).  In these disorders the gradual decay of bone marrow or even the bone marrow failure is observed. Since the patient’s own haematopoietic stem cells are missing, the only curative treatment for patients is allogenic transplantation from healthy donor. However, if the patient had own cord blood saved, it would be possible to use it.

Inborn disorders of haematopoiesis and metabolism
The only transplantation possibility in inborn disorders of haematopoiesis and metabolism is an allogenic transplantation, since an origin of the disease itself is already present in haematopoietic stem cells. Such diseases include: sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia, Fanconi anaemia, Blackfan-Diamond anaemia, mucopolysaccharidoses, adrenoleukodystrophy etc. An ideal donor of stem cells for transplantation is HLA – compatible healthy sibling.

Solid tumours
Autologous transplantation is indicated in case the tumour is sensitive to chemotherapy. The chance for better results is increased with higher doses of chemotherapy. However, high doses of chemotherapy destroy also the bone marrow and for this reason the following transplantation is necessary. Among the most common indications are neuroblastoma, childhood brain tumours, muscle and bone tumours, embryonic tissue tumours etc.

Autoimmune diseases
Currently new approaches for autoimmune diseases treatment are successfully employed. Those include high dose chemotherapy with subsequent transplantation of autologous haematopoietic stem cells. This treatment was already used for: juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease.

A new field of medicine where stem cells are used to renew damaged tissues and organs is called regenerative medicine. Stem cells from cord blood are able to differentiate into various types of cells. This predicts the potential of cord blood in treating tissue damage of the myocardial muscle, blood vessels, the liver, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases etc. Experimental use of autologous cord blood is in progress for treatment of children suffering from type1 diabetes or form traumatic and hypoxic brain injuries in order to regenerate damaged cells. Also stem cells from cord blood donors are being tested on animals for the repair of damaged myocardial muscle after myocardial infarction.

Scientists succeeded in cultivating a variety of cells from umbilical cord blood stem cells in laboratory conditions. Among them are fatty tissue cells, neural cells, blood vessel epithelium cells etc. Since cord blood is not an ethically controversial source of stem cells, in contrast to embryonic stem cells, its wider in the field of regenerative medicine use is expected in future. Though it is possible to obtain stem cells also from bone marrow or fatty tissue in adult age, the advantage of cord blood is that there is no need for further procedure for patient.   

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