Comparative in vitro analysis of different hematopoietic cell populations from human cord blood: in search of the best option for clinically oriented ex vivo cell expansion.

Background: Ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells has become a priority in the experimental hematology arena. In this study we have obtained different hematopoietic cell populations from umbilical cord blood and simultaneously assessed their proliferation and expansion kinetics. Our main goal was to determine which one of these cell populations would be more suitable for clinical-grade ex vivo expansion.

Individual and combined effects of mesenchymal stromal cells and recombinant stimulatory cytokines on the in vitro growth of primitive hematopoietic cells from human umbilical cord blood.

Background Aims: We have previously characterized the in vitro growth of two cord blood-derived hematopoietic cell populations in liquid cultures supplemented with recombinant cytokines. In the present study, we assessed the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) on the growth of such cells.

Methods: CD34(+) CD38(+) Lin(-) and CD34(+) CD38(-) Lin(-) cells were obtained by negative selection, and cultured in the presence of marrow-derived MSC and/or early- and late-acting cytokines.

Deficient proliferation of myeloid, erythroid, and multipotent progenitor cells in long-term marrow cultures from patients with aplastic anemia treated with immunosuppressive therapy.

By using Dexter-type long-term marrow cultures (D-LTMC), it has been shown previously that hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) from patients with aplastic anemia (AA) have a deficient proliferation in vitro. The studies reported to date, however, have focused exclusively on granulomonocytic progenitors and no information exists on erythroid or multipotent progenitor cells. On the other hand, in such studies, the input progenitor cell numbers were significantly below normal levels, thus suggesting that the rapid disappearance of myeloid progenitor cells from AA D-LTMC could also be due, at least in part, to their reduced number at culture onset.