近10万英国父母为孩子保存脐带血
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2011-11-19 07:02 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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Today there are about ten businesses in the UK offering to freeze and store cord blood and industry insiders estimate that up to 100,000 parents have chosen to do so in the UK. The global stem-cell market is forecast to treble to a staggering £40 billion by 2015.

现在英国约有十家公司提供冷冻储存脐带血的服务,业内人士估计,英国有10万父母选择为孩子保存脐带血。据预测,全球干细胞市场份额在2015年将多达400亿英镑,增至原来的三倍。

Cord blood contains embryonic1(胚胎的) stem cells. They can be made into more specialised cells and can reproduce copies of themselves almost indefinitely. There is currently research into a host of applications – from growing new organs to curing paraplegia(截瘫) . In theory, stem cells treat disease by replacing damaged or diseased cells. They are used in bone-marrow transplants to treat leukaemia(白血病) – but in these cases, donor2 blood taken in the usual way is used to harvest the stem cells.

To bank cord stem cells, the cord blood is extracted minutes after the birth of the baby and rushed by courier(由快递公司传递) to be processed. Any cells that could be of future value are frozen at minus 180C and can then be stored for 25 years.

There are no published examples of a child’s own cord blood being used to cure them of leukaemia – one of the most common childhood diseases mentioned by the banks in their sales pitches. There are two cases of successful sibling3 transplants for children with the hereditary4 condition thalassemia(地中海贫血) , where the body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin – the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. These were carried out in Singapore and Germany.

Lavish5 promises of future treatments tend to be based on preliminary clinical trials – and should a child fall ill today, in many cases the technology doesn’t exist to actually use the harvested stem cells. In fact, some experts believe that reintroducing banked cord blood into a child could increase the chance of relapse – as disease-causing cells that existed from birth would be stored alongside useful stem cells.

‘Parents are worried that by not storing cord blood, they aren’t giving their child the best possible chance for future health,’ says leading consultant6 gynaecologist and obstetrician Mr Dickinson Cowan, who admits that when he first came across private banking7, he thought it was a good idea. ‘I’d never recommend it now,’ he says.



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1 embryonic 58EyK     
adj.胚胎的
参考例句:
  • It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
  • The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。
2 donor dstxI     
n.捐献者;赠送人;(组织、器官等的)供体
参考例句:
  • In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下,接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
  • The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。
3 sibling TEszc     
n.同胞手足(指兄、弟、姐或妹)
参考例句:
  • Many of us hate living in the shadows of a more successful sibling.我们很多人都讨厌活在更为成功的手足的阴影下。
  • Sibling ravalry has been common in this family.这个家里,兄弟姊妹之间的矛盾很平常。
4 hereditary fQJzF     
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的
参考例句:
  • The Queen of England is a hereditary ruler.英国女王是世袭的统治者。
  • In men,hair loss is hereditary.男性脱发属于遗传。
5 lavish h1Uxz     
adj.无节制的;浪费的;vt.慷慨地给予,挥霍
参考例句:
  • He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
  • The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。
6 consultant 2v0zp3     
n.顾问;会诊医师,专科医生
参考例句:
  • He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
  • Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来,加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。
7 banking aySz20     
n.银行业,银行学,金融业
参考例句:
  • John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
  • He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。
TAG标签: UK blood cells
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