Imagine a damaged human heart restored to its natural function, thanks to the contribution of umbilical cord blood stem cells. It may sound like science fiction, but research suggests that this scenario may not be too far in our future.

At the American Heart Association’s most recent Scientific Sessions, an annual gathering to explore the latest breakthroughs in heart health, researchers presented findings demonstrating that cord blood could potentially be used to build new heart valves for babies. During the Sessions, researchers presented data from a small study using stem cells obtained from infants’ umbilical cord blood at birth that were seeded onto biodegradable heart valve scaffolds and grown in the laboratory.  According to the study, the stem cells formed a tissue layer around the scaffolding and created viable heart tissue.

So what does this mean? According to Ralf Sodian, M.D., and lead author of the study, “in our concept, if prenatal testing shows a heart defect, you could collect blood from the umbilical cord at birth, harvest the stem cells, and fabricate a heart valve that is ready when the baby needs it.”  The benefit of tissue-engineered valves is that they could grow as the child matures, unlike current replacements from animal tissue or human donations which need to be replaced once outgrown.

In related, more recent research published in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon (2009), endothelial cells (which line the interior surface of blood vessels) from the umbilical cord may prove to be more biocompatible with blood than other biomedical material when used as a film on mechanical heart valve prostheses. While scientists are only beginning to explore the possibilities, both studies indicate there is reason to take heart about the direction of cord blood-related research and its potential to address heart-related issues.

You can find more information about the AHA study below:

Umbilical cord blood may help build new heart valves