Variability in CD34+ cell counts in umbilical cord blood: implications for cord blood transplants.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if total nucleated cell counts alone are sufficient for predicting the efficacy of cord blood units for transplant from neonatal umbilical cord blood samples.


METHODS
Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from 200 mothers at delivery and the cord blood units processed. The total nucleated cells and CD34+ cells were enumerated and compared for each sample.


RESULTS
Despite an apparent linear correlation between total nucleated cell counts and CD34+ cell counts, each group of total nucleated cell counts demonstrated a high degree of variation in CD34+ cell counts and could be as low as 0.1% of total nucleated cell counts.


CONCLUSIONS
Large variations in CD34+ cell counts per total nucleated cell count are present for cord blood units from neonatal umbilical cord samples. Hence a CD34+ cell count for each cord blood unit would improve selection of samples for transplant.
Yap
C
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. chris.yap@pacific.net.sg
Loh
M T
MT
Heng
K K
KK
Tan
P
P
Yu
S L
SL
Chan
S H
SH
Ren
E C
EC
D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006648:Histocompatibility / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D018952:Antigens, CD34