Cryopreservation is a process of freezing at cryogenic temperatures (normally with liquid nitrogen). For stem cells to maintain viability for many years they have to be preserved at temperatures below minus 180ºC.

The storage process of the stem cells isolated from cord blood starts with the reduction of the sample’s volume. In this process, red blood cells and plasma are separated from the stem cells. The reduction is undertaken to diminish the end storage volume and thus permit the use of lower quantities of DMSO (a cryoprotectant that stops the destruction of cells that are exposed to low temperatures).

Upon arrival at the laboratory, a sample of blood is taken to evaluate the viability of the cord blood cells as well as to determine the number of stem cells.

The storage process of stem cells isolated from the umbilical cord tissue begins with the separation of these cells from the remaining cells in the umbilical cord, through an enzymatic digestion of the cord. These cells are then placed in a culture medium that allows for their multiplication.

The isolated umbilical cord cells are subject to a rigorous quality control with morphological analysis and flow cytometry. This control confirms that the isolated cells are mesenchymal stem cells.

After separation, the cryopreservation process is initiated with a controlled drop in temperature. After this operation, the sample is kept in a liquid nitrogen tank for the duration of the contract or until solicited by the client.