Growth of human umbilical-cord blood in longterm haemopoietic cultures.
Cryopreserved human umbilical-cord (HUC) blood is an alternative to bone marrow as a source of haemopoietic "stem" cells for HLA-identical transplantation of children with leukaemia or Fanconi's anaemia. We have studied the in-vitro growth potential of HUC blood in clonogenic assays and in longterm haemopoietic cultures. Clonogenic assays showed that HUC blood produced as many haemopoietic-cell colonies as normal adult bone marrow and a higher proportion of primitive-cell colonies. In longterm culture on preformed irradiated marrow stroma, both progenitor-cell production and lifespan of cultures were significantly greater in HUC blood than in normal bone marrow (p = 0.0007). Our findings indicate that the quality and quantity of HUC-blood-derived haemopoietic "stem" cells are better than those of normal bone marrow. Therefore, single HUC-blood donations are probably sufficient for adults requiring transplantation for leukaemia and other haemopoietic disorders. Banking of HLA-typed HUC blood to facilitate transplantation of patients who lack a family donor should be considered.
Kay Kendall Laboratory, Paterson Institute, Cancer Research Campaign, Manchester, UK.
J M
JM
Hows
B A
BA
Bradley
J C
JC
Marsh
T
T
Luft
L
L
Coutinho
N G
NG
Testa
T M
TM
Dexter
D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000592:standards; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000254:growth & development; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D015925:Cryopreservation; D015672:Erythroid Precursor Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors
D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor