Blood samples. Centrifuged samples of blood in test tubes, in this case blood taken from the umbilical cord that joins a foetus to its mother. Umbilic

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Blood samples. Centrifuged samples of blood in test tubes, in this case blood taken from the umbilical cord that joins a foetus to its mother. Umbilical blood may be used to treat leukaemia and other disorders of the immune system. The orange fluid on top is serum which consists of water, salts, glucose, & proteins. The red matter beneath the serum is mainly blood cells. Centrifuges separate the cells and serum by spinning the sample at a high speed. Umbilical cord blood is useful because it contains a high number of stem cells which divide to form healthy new cells, and is less likely to be rejected by the new host. Photographed at the Milan Cord Blood Bank, Italy.

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Size: 2533px × 3661px
Photo credit: © KLAUS GULDBRANDSEN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: analysis, bank, blood, centrifuged, clinical, cord, haematology, healthcare, hematology, hospital, leukaemia, leukemia, medical, medicine, milan, sample, test, testing, treatment, tube, umbilical