Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD)

A common and serious complication of bone marrow or cord blood transplantation where there is a reaction of the donated cells to a patient’s own tissue. GVHD can lead to organ damage.

Haplotype

A set of genes that are linked closely enough to be inherited as a single set.

Hematopoiesis

The formation of blood or blood cells.

Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell (HPC)

A stem cell that has the ability to differentiate into cells capable of restoring myelopoiesis, erythropoiesis, throbopoiesis, and immune cells that make up the functional compartments of the human hematopoietic system. These cells are typically derived from the bone marrow, peripheral blood, or cord blood of humans.

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)

Part of the major histocompatibility complex (MHA), a group of closely linked loci, or gene locations, present in all humans, which plays an imperfectly understood but important role in immune phenomena.

Hemoglobinopathy

A disorder due to abnormalities in the hemoglobin molecule. The best known hemogoblinopathy is sickle-cell anemia.

Immunosuppression

Suppression of natural immune responses. Can be achieved with certain drugs.

Mixed Bank

A bank principally collecting unrelated cord blood units donated for transplantation but also operating private facilities for low-risk autologous and family use. Money received from private banking activities helps to offset costs of the unrelated donor facility.

Private Cord Blood Bank

Bank storing cord blood units for autologous or family use. Most private banks charge for this service, although some may offer their services at no cost to families with a medical need.

Public Cord Blood Bank

Bank storing cord blood units donated for unrelated transplantation or research. Cord blood units may also be stored for autologous or family use where there is a known risk. The costs of processing and storing the cord blood unit are charged to the end user (transplant center or recipient). Public banks can be operated under either a nonprofit or for-profit cost model.

Registry

A list of records—such as units available in a bank, or volunteer bone marrow donors.

Stem Cells

Multipotent cells can differentiate into a variety of more specialized cells into the human body. Stem cells can be derived from bone marrow, stimulated peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood, a variety of other sources, including embryos. However, in this report