The sample arrives at the laboratory, is checked by a technician along with the paperwork and is captured into the database.

The cord blood unit is passed into the cleanroom for sterile processing.

The PrepaCyte-CB solution is added to the cord blood, thoroughly mixed and given time for sedimentation to occur. The supernatant is then separated from the red blood cells.

Following centrifugation the pelleted cells are expressed into the freezer bag.

The cryopreservative is added to the pelleted cells and a controlled rate freeze is performed, following which the cells are stored in our liquid nitrogen tanks in the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen.

A 10-15cm of cord tissue is received. This is washed twice in antibiotic solution and twice in saline.

The cord tissue is cut into tiny pieces and placed into 5 cryovials per client.

Cryomedia (cryopreservative containing DMSO) is then added to the first four cryovials.

For the 5th cryovial, MTT is added, which is a yellow solution that turns purple when added to healthy, respiring cells. This serves as a cord tissue viability test.

These are then placed in the control rate freezers and then into the cryogenic tanks for final storage.