Recent Advances in Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Transplantation

Bone marrow transplantation is a medical procedure which is used to treat mainly life-threatening diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases and hereditary skeletal dysplasias. The two types of grafts in stem cell transplant are autologous and allogeneic. Autologous stem cells are extracted from a patient and stored in a freezer. The person is treated with chemotherapy in order to destroy the malignant cells, and then the stored cells are transplanted into the bloodstream. Allogeneic stem cell transplant involves a healthy donor who provides stem cells to a diseased patient. The stem cells can be extracted from the bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells and amniotic fluid. This book discusses the fundamentals as well as modern approaches of stem cell and bone marrow transplantation. Also included herein is a detailed explanation of the various concepts and applications of these medical procedures. The book will help the readers in keeping pace with the rapid changes in this field.