The Effects of Umbilical Cord Blood and Cord Tissue Cell Therapies in Animal and Human Models of Cerebral Palsy
Biologic and cell-based therapies are increasingly being developed for a multitude of diseases. They are being explored in the treatment of neurologic conditions, as traditional pharmacologic agents typically cannot fully address the pathologic complexity and resultant manifestations of injuries and diseases affecting the brain. Umbilical cord blood and cord tissue are attractive sources of cells for these therapies as they are readily available and easily obtained without risk to the donor infant or mother and because they can be routinely screened and banked. This chapter will describe the current state of investigations of umbilical cord blood and cord tissue-based therapies in the treatment of cerebral palsy due to an acquired brain injury and highlight some of the possibilities and challenges inherent in developing and assessing such therapies in this population.
