A system for the processing and separation of biological fluids into components comprises an apparatus that cooperates with a disposable set, comprising a cabinet (100) for housing a hollow centrifugal processing chamber (20) of the disposable set. The cabinet comprises a plurality of side-by-side locations (110) for receiving a corresponding plurality of centrifugal processing chambers (20) in side-by-side spaced-apart relation. Each location comprises an individual drive means (52) for driving its centrifugal processing chamber. Remotely-actuable valves (124) associated with the disposable sets are located on the apparatus' cabinet in the proximity of said locations. Valve actuation provides a display of the state of actuation of the valves (124). Selection of this state of actuation is arranged to control connection of the centrifugal processing chamber (20) of each fitted disposable set with a flexible container (200) of the same disposable set or another container, and to contol connection of the centrifugal processing chambers (20) with flexible containers of the same or other fitted disposable sets in different combinations, in particular with series and/or parallel connections.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus, and methods of using same, for collecting blood from an umbilical cord in a sterile environment that includes an umbilical cord retaining assembly and a blood collection assembly rotatably connected to the umbilical cord retaining assembly. A cord cutting blade, which is carried by the blood collection assembly, functions to cut the umbilical cord when the blood collection assembly is rotated relative to the umbilical cord retaining assembly. After the umbilical cord is cut, blood flows by force of gravity into the blood collection region of the blood collection assembly to which a blood collection bag can be interconnected.

A method of manufacturing a tissue matrix for implantation into a patient is disclosed. The method sets forth collecting embryonic stem cells from a placenta which has been treated to remove residual cord blood and seeding the collected stem cells onto or into a tissue matrix. The seeded tissue matrix is then implanted on or into a patient. The seeded tissue matrix made by the method of the present invention is also disclosed.

A system configured to enclose a premature fetus within an extracorporeal environment to promote growth of the fetus and increase viability of the fetus. The system includes a device for measuring oxygen saturation.