Oldsmar, Fla —  Cryo-Cell International, Inc, one of the world’s largest and most established family cord blood banks, announced the
publication of a collective paper outlining the potential benefits of transplanting stem cells derived from umbilical cord and menstrual blood cells. The paper, titled "The Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders Using Umbilical Cord Blood and Menstrual Blood-Derived Stem Cells," was a collaborative effort between Cryo-Cell, the University of South Florida’s Department of Neurosurgery and Brain
Repair, and two private-sector research groups, Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc. and Cell PRAXIS Bioengenharia, and is published in
the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:1), available online.

"Umbilical cord blood cells and stem cells derived from menstrual blood are relatively easy to obtain, appear to be able to differentiate into
many kinds of cells, and are immunologically immature, offering them the potential to promote cell survival rather than play a cell replacement role when transplanted," said Dr. Paul Sanberg, distinguished university professor and executive director of the Center of Excellence on Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida.

According to Dr. Eduardo Cruz, CEO of Cell PRAXIS BioRio, human umbilical cord blood cells (hUCBs) are limited to collection at the
time of birth, but menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) could be collected once a month for 40 years from women during their
reproductive stage.

"Both hUCBs and MenSCs have been used successfully in laboratory experiments with animal models of diseases," noted Cruz.

MenSCs have been transplanted into animal models of stroke and have been shown to be able to differentiate into a number of neural cell
types. Transplanting hUCBs into animal models of stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and ALS has demonstrated their therapeutic potential for
reducing inflammation, a key component of many neurodegenerative diseases.

According to Mercedes Walton, Chairman & CEO of Cryo-Cell International, Inc, stem cell science and stem cell therapies have been emerging with amazing speed in the last several years. "Our breakthrough discovery that menstrual blood cells contain proliferative
stem cells that can differentiate into many different types of cells, including cardiac and neural cells, has opened new therapy
possibilities," she said.

SOURCE: Cryo-Cell International, Inc