Cord Blood Cells Transform Into Heart Muscle

For the first time, scientists have shown that cord blood cells from a donor were present in the failing organs of a recipient. Cord blood cells are stem cells that come from the umbilical cord blood and placenta after birth. They are used in medicine in much the same way as bone marrow but with a smaller chance of rejection. In this case, the cord blood cells had actually transformed into heart muscle cells called myocytes. Although the data does not prove the cord blood cells actually stopped heart damage from progressing, the findings are compelling.