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Journalism of Courage
PUNE, February 28: In a major breakthrough, the National Centre for Cell Science NCCS in Pune has succeeded in standardising the technique to cryopreserve bone marrow cells in India.
With the help of this standardised technique, bone marrow cells from the human body can be removed and preserved in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus 196 degree celsius. The cells remain cryopreserved in a state of suspended animation in glass test tubes, with dimethyl sulphoxide in the medium preventing their crystal formation. The same can be activated by chemical process after bringing them to room temperature.
The technique has come as a great respite for millions of cancer patients in the country who can now hope for bone marrow cell transplants, as cryopreserved cells can now be transplanted with the help of simple intra-venous procedure. While the standardisation of cryopreservation by NCCS has brightened the prospects of bone marrow cell transplants in India, it has also made it possible to establish the first ever bone marrow bank in the country. Says G C Mishra, director NCCS, 8220;With the help of this technique, different types of haematopoietic cells can be cryopreseved in a bone marrow bank, which can then function like an ordinary blood bankand supply the samples on demand.8221;
Explaining the features of establishing a bone marrow bank, Limaye says, 8220;People in the high risk groups 8211; those having a family history of leukaemia or who work in atomic energy plants 8211; considering that they might develop cancer in long term, could donate samples of their bone marrow cells. These could be cryopreserved in the banks and made available for their own use in future if the need be.8221;
