Validation of short-term handling and storage conditions for marrow and peripheral blood stem cell products.

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants from unrelated donors are routinely used in the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies. These cellular products are often collected off-site and require transport from the collection site to transplantation centers. However, the effects of transport conditions and media on stem cell graft composition during short-term storage have not been well described.