| Adult Stem Cells | Latin: "adultus" = grown up. Every human owns a reserve of adult stem cells, which are necessary for the upkeep of health. Unlike the embryonic and umbilical cord blood stem cells, the adult stem cells cannot transform into any type of other cells. They have restricted duties like the renovation of blood cells and the immune-defence. |
| Afterbirth | Consists of the placenta, the amniotic sac and the rest of the umbilical cord. |
| Allogenic Stem Cells | Greek: "allos" = other, different. Allogenic is the definition of the transplantation of donors stem cells to recipients. |
| Apoptosis | Programmed Cell Death. |
| Basic Cells | These are stem cells, which transform into special cells during the embryonic development, such as heart muscle cells, red blood cells or skin cells. Since their life expectation is limited by a few days, there is a constant need for new blood cells. All of the blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. The bone marrow can be found in many bones but mostly in pelvic bones, chest bones, rips, and spine and on the ends of tubular bones. |
| Bone Marrow | This is the organ for the blood production in larger bones. |
| Cardiac Arrest | Cardiac arrest is the death of heart muscle tissues as a result of an oxygen-supply deficiency after a shut down of the heart arteries. |
| CD34-positive Cell | CD34 is the definition of a characteristic mark on the cell surface of preliminary cells of the blood production (blood producing stem cells). According to these cell surface characteristics, the adequacy of the stem cell amount in the obtained cell culture can be determined. |
| Cell Viability | Cellsense tests the cell-viability by cell cultures before and after the freezing procedure. |
| CFU-Assay | Short form for: Colony Forming Units. This is a test, to confirm the dividing potential and the viability of stem cells by cell cultures. |
| Chemotherapy | Chemotherapy is the growth obstruction of the body's cancer cells by medication, which is hindering the division of cells (Zytostatika). |
| Collection (of umbilical cord blood) | Punction of the umbilical cord vein by a sterile needle and transfer of the umbilical blood into a sac. The punction-process is similar to the blood collection from the upper arm vein. |
| Contamination | Pollution through bacteria, virus or other environmental influences. Contamination must be prevented (during the collection and storage of the umbilical cord blood) by suitable precautions. |
| Cryopreservation | A process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as (typically) 77 K or −196 °C (the boiling point of liquid nitrogen). |
| Customer Identification Number (CIN) | A unique number given to each collection of cord blood when it arrives for processing at the laboratory. |
| Differentiating | Natural or artificially created development of stem cells into various specialised cell types. |
| DNA | Genetic characteristics of a human body. |
| Early Umbilical Cord Cut | This is the so-called instant cut of the umbilical cord after births. The benefit of this method is that the chance of newborn jaundice decreases or at least occurs in a milder version. |
| Embryo | Embryo is the definition of the unborn child in the mother's womb starting with the fourth week of pregnancy up to the end of the third month. After that, it is called a fetus. |
| Embyonic Stem Cells | They are obtained from the embryo shortly after the procreation. They can transform into almost any type of tissue. Most of the researchers assume much more application options with these cells. But the embryo will be destroyed by this procedure. |
| Genome | It is the total of hereditary information. It is equivalent to the sum of all chromosomes of a cell. |
| GMP-Laboratory | Good Manufacturing Practice - Laboratory |
| Graft versus Leukemia - Reaction | The reject reaction by donated cells. This reaction is versus the blood cancer cells and is appreciated. |
| Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) | Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in which functional immune cells in the transplanted marrow recognize the recipient as "foreign" and mount an immunologic attack. |
| Granulocytes | This is a group of white blood cells. They are produced in the bone marrow. They attack pathogenic agents and disarm them. Infections, poisoning and allergies lead to an increase of the granulocytes-values. Should there be any purulent infections in the body, the values of neutrophile granulocytes rise. At the beginning of an infection those values are low. |
| Hemostaseology | This is a special medical field, which studies the coagulation-disorders of the blood. |
| HLA-Typing | Determination/identification of the donor's tissue characteristics. |
| Immunological Identical Body-Cells | Cells which are derived from the patient (or his/her umbilical cord). Usually, they cannot provoke any reject reaction. |
| Infusion | Supply of greater amounts of fluids by blood (blood, serum, nutrition or medication). |
| Inline-Method | This is a method used in laboratories with hermetically closed systems, without any contact with the environment. This procedure guarantees maximum security from potential pollution. |
| Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS) | Located in South Australia, the IMVS provides quality medical pathology services, is active in many research programs and contributes to the education, teaching and training of students in the various fields of medical science. (http://www.imvs.sa.gov.au/) |
| Medical Director | Provides leadership, guidance and oversight of all matters relating to medical practices and research in cord blood collection. Cellsense Medical Director - Dr Ian Lewis |
| Monash Immunology Stem Cell Laboratories (MISCL) | Monash Immunology Stem Cell Laboratories, MISCL, is a collaboration of researchers who seek to develop treatments utilising both stem cells and knowledge of our body’s immune system. Investigators at MISCL study adult stem cells and applications for repair or regeneration of blood, pancreatic, respiratory, liver, reproductive, thymic, renal and neural tissues. This is complemented by the study of human reproduction, oocyte formation and embryology. Some of MISCL's researchers focus on the immune system for induction of transplantation, immune tolerance, correction of autoimmunity, reversal of immunodeficiency as well as treatments for cancer. MISCL is a centre of research excellence within the School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. MISCL attract competitive research support from national and international public institutions and commercial partnerships. MISCL is committed to training the next generation of stem cell scientists with over 50 honours and postgraduate research students. MSCL have many overseas visitors and collaborate with scientists from other Monash University Departments. (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/miscl) |
| Multipotency | The ability to transform into many different cell types. |
| Nitrogen in gas-form | Develops in the steel container above the liquid nitrogen. |
| Peripheral Blood Stem Cells | These are the stem cells, which circulate out of the bone marrow in the peripheral blood system. Their numbers can be increased artificially by medication. They can be harvested with a device similar to dialysis when needed. |
| Placenta | Nourishes the unborn child during pregnancy via the umbilical cord. After the delivery it is a part of the afterbirth. |
| Plasticity | Transformation capacity of stem cells. |
| Pluripotency | The ability to transform into almost every cell type of the organism. |
| Production Manager | Overall responsibility for the efficient and timely production of Cellsense Cord Blood Collection Kits, as required by customers. To support compliance of all operations to all relevant regulations and directives, with specific emphasis on the safety of personnel and equipment, and training. |
| Proliferative Potency, Quality and Capacity | Ability of stem cells to multiply and their quality. |
| Punction (of the umbilical cord) | This is the procedure of the collection of umbilical cord blood. The punction of the umbilical cord is similar to the punction of the upper arm blood vein. |
| Quality Manager | Ensures that product quality and manufacturing process compliance meets regulatory requirements. |
| Reject-Reaction | Transplants from other donors are recognised by the body of the recipient as hostile and they are attacked. This reaction is the so-called "Graft versus Host Disease", shortly called GvHD. It affects mainly the skin, liver and intestine and can lead to life-threatening complications. In order to avoid such complications, the tissue characteristics of donor and recipient must correspond in the best possible way. |
| Rubinstein-Method | Separation of the stem cells after the worldwide accepted Rubinstein-Method. With this method, the precious stem cells are separated from other blood components in order to protect them from polluted or damaged particles. |
| Self-Donation | This is the so-called preparation of own (autologous) cells (like umbilical cord blood stem cells) for the eventual application on the donor. |
| Separated Stem Cells | Stem cells separated through the Rubinstein-Method |
| Stem Cells | Undifferentiated cells of the same lineage, those retain the ability to become specialized and take the place of those that die or are lost. |
| Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAH) | Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAH) is a not-for-profit institute of the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. An acute-care private hospital with over 500 beds (including 343 licensed overnight beds), it is the largest single campus private hospital in NSW. It was the first private hospital in NSW to be accredited by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards. SAH is Nata Accredited. (http://www.sah.org.au/) |
| Tissue Engineering | This is a term for the production of body-tissue derived from stem cells. |
| Totipotency | Only a few days after procreation, embryonic stem cells form together a small cell colony (the blastocyst), which have the ability to multiply and form a whole human being. |
| Toxic | Greek: "toxikos" = poisonous |
| Transfusion Medicine | This is a medical branch that studies the transfer of blood components and/or bone marrow via foreign or self-donation. |
| Transplantation | The transmission of cells or an organ from a donor to a recipient. |
| Umbilical Cord Cut | After the child's birth the umbilical cord will be separated from the placenta by affiliating to clamps. The umbilical cord will be cut in between the two clamps afterwards. |
| Unipotency | The ability to develop a single cell type. |
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