Technical terms (Glossary)
- adult
adult
definition: mature, sexually mature
mature, sexually mature.
- allogenic
allogenic
definition: In an allogenic transplantation, foreign blood stem cells are transplanted
In an allogenic transplantation, foreign blood stem cells are transferred to the patient. These can come from a related or non-related donor.
- anonymous
anonymous
definition: identity unknown
As with blood donation, blood stem cell donation between unrelated individuals remains anonymous. This means the donor and the recipient don't know each other and also do not receive information about one another, even when they wish to. This rule is based on the transplantation law (Article 119a of the Constitution) and irrevocable.
- apheresis
apheresis
definition: stem cell apheresis = procedure to filter out blood stem cells
Apheresis is an extracorporeal procedure for removing one particular constituent, for example cells, from blood or blood plasma. To do this, the donor is connected to a apheresis machine through two venipunctures. The blood is taken out of one arm, run through a sterile tube apparatus and into the apheresis machine, where the cells are separated out, then the remainder of the blood is returned to the donor's circulation.
- blood cells
blood cells
definition: red and white blood cells and blood platelets There are 3 types of blood cells:
- Red blood cells (erythrocytes) - responsible for delivery of oxygen
- White blood cells (leukocytes) - critical for infection defense
- Blood platelets (thrombocytes) - blood stanching, blood coagulation
- blood group
blood group
definition: Designation of the distinct composition of glycolipids or proteins on the surface of red blood cells
This is a hereditary characteristic that makes every person's blood distinct. The most important blood group systems are the ABO-System and the Rhesus-System. In transplantation of blood stem cells, blood groups plays a secondary role. More than likely, they will only be considered if more than one suitable donor is found at the same time.
- blood stem cell apheresis
blood stem cell apheresis
definition: = procedure to remove blood stem cells
In this apheresis, only blood stem cells are removed. It takes approximately 3 to 6 hours.
- blood stem cell sources
blood stem cell sources
definition: sources in bone marrow, in blood or in umbilical cord
Blood building stem cells can be obtained from bone marrow or peripheral blood, and today also from umbilical cord blood.
- blood stem cells
blood stem cells
definition: hematopoietic stem cells
Blood stem cells, and also hematopoietic stem cells, are generally found primarily in bone marrow. They are the point of origin for the entire cell regeneration of the blood and immune system. Blood stem cells can be obtained from the blood (after medication-based treatment), bone marrow or umbilical cord blood. The cells obtained are transplanted into a leukemia patient after chemotherapy, to replace the cells attacked by cancer and those destroyed by the chemotherapy.
- bone marrow
bone marrow
definition: responsible for the blood stem cells
Bone marrow is found in the bones of the trunk, such as the ribs and pelvic bones, and is responsible for the creation of blood cells. Bone marrow shouldn't be confused with spinal marrow: during extraction, the spinal cord is not punctured. Red bone marrow contains blood stem cells and is responsible for creating blood. In children, all bones contain red bone marrow, while in adults it is found only in certain bones like the pelvis, sternum, and ribs. The other bones contain yellow bone marrow which is made up of fat.
- embryonic
embryonic
definition: in the earliest form of development
Embryonic stem cells are at the beginning the cell specialization. All the different cells in the human body come from these. Embryonic originated from the word Embryo (Greek: unborn fetus).
- G-CSF
G-CSF
definition: Granulocyte colony stimulating factor
The abbreviation G-CSF in medicine stands for growth factors.
- growth factors
growth factors
definition: medication that stimulates the building of blood cells
Medication that stimulates and accelerates the production of blood stem cells. The building and maturation of blood stem cells usually takes place in the bone marrow. When however many blood stem cells are built within a short time, they enter the blood stream even though they haven't reached the final stage of development. These cells can be obtained from a donor's blood through apheresis.
- hematopoietic
hematopoietic
definition: blood building
Hematopoietic means blood building. Thus, hematopoietic stem cells are known as "blood building stem cells". Hematopoietic stem cells are the mother cells of all blood cells = blood stem cells.
- hepatitis
hepatitis
definition: jaundice
Jaundice, liver inflammation. The inflammation can be caused by a variety of things: The most common are viral (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C).
- HLA
HLA
definition: Human Leukocyte Antigen System
The HLA-System (Human Leukocyte Antigen) is a very complex system which denotes a system of surface antigens which occur on the cells of many tissues, especially leukocytes. These antigens play a central role in the immune system. The HLA antigens are divided into Class I (HLA-A, -B, -C) and Class II (HLA-DR, DQ, and -DP) and are inherited half from the mother and half from the father. With their compositions, millions of different combinations are possible. Certain combinations can make the search for a matching donor difficult, in and outside the family. Since they are important tissue structures in differentiating between "self" and "foreign", they play a critical role in blood stem cell transplantation: If the combinations of relevant groups of HLA antigens between recipient and donor are not identical, the body will reject the foreign blood stem cells, or the transplanted blood stem cells reject the foreign body, which is called "graft vs. host disease". Definition in Wikipedia
- iliac crest
iliac crest
definition: Uppermost bone of the pelvis
The iliac crest is the uppermost bone of the pelvis.
- infection marker
infection marker
definition: laboratory tests to verify infectious diseases
Serological and molecular biological tests used to prove the presence of bacteria or viruses.
- Leukemia
Leukemia
definition: blood cancer
Leukemia, known as "blood cancer" in the vernacular, is a cancer of the white blood cells (leukocytes) of the blood building system, where there is an incessant and diseased reproduction of the white blood cells which compromises the healthy cells in the bone marrow.
- non-relative
non-relative
definition: medical definition for non-relative
In a "non-relative" transplantation, healthy blood stem cells from voluntary, unrelated, non-familial donors are used. This happens when no suitable donor is found within a patient's own family.
- peripheral
peripheral
definition: peripheral donation of blood stem cells
Outside, on the border, far from the center; describes as peripheral blood stem cells those cells that are (far away from the bone marrow) in the blood circulation, therefore in the blood.
- SBSC
SBSC
acronym of: Swiss Blood Stem Cells
SBSC = Swiss Blood Stem Cells Schweizerische Stiftung Blut-Stammzellen
- spinal cord
spinal cord
definition: a part of the nervous system
The spinal cord is part of the nervous system. Injury to the spinal cord can lead to paralysis and is very dangerous. The spinal cord should not be confused with bone marrow, which is found in the skull and in the bones of the trunk in the human body (ribs, backbone, and pelvic bones).
- transplantation
transplantation
definition: transplantation of cells, tissues, organs
In medicine, a transplantation is the relocation of a graft. The graft can consist of cells, tissues, entire organs, or limbs. Before blood stem cell transplantation, patients undergo a chemo- and/or radiotherapy in order to destroy the diseased bone marrow. Afterwards, the healthy blood stem cells are administered as in a blood transfusion through a venous catheter. In over 80 percent of the cases, the new blood stem cells incorporate into the bone marrow of the patient and begin to multiply and mature to blood cells within 14 days.
- venous catheter
venous catheter
definition: thin tube to access a vein
A venous catheter is a thin, flexible plastic tube that can be used to access the venous system, e.g., in the arm.
- ZEWO
ZEWO
acronym of: ZEWO charitable organization with quality certificate
The ZEWO foundation is the Swiss institution for certification of charitable organizations. It oversees charitable organizations for conscientious handling of donations and provides a certificate when their criteria are met.