Culture conditions affect the ability of ex vivo expanded peripheral blood progenitor cells to accelerate hematopoietic recovery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various ex vivo expansion conditions on the cell products and their ability to accelerate hematopoietic recovery in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.

Patients And Methods: Unselected peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) from 43 breast cancer patients were seeded into gas-permeable bags containing serum-free media, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell factor, and pegylated megakaryocyte growth and development factor. Between 2 and 24 x 10(9) PBPCs were cultured at 1, 2, or 3 x 10(6) cells/mL for 9 to 14 days.