Sixty years ago, the premier blood grouping laboratory was that of Robert Race in London. Agglutination tests and blood grouping had provided breakthroughs in immunology, genetics, and the solution of clinical problems. The significance of immunohematology was recognized by the clinical hematology community as a potent force in the expanding field of disorders of the blood and blood-forming organs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this review is to draw the attention of general readers to the importance of cellular exocytic vesiculation as a normal mechanism of development and subsequent adjustment to changing conditions, focusing on red cell (RBC) vesiculation. Recent studies have emphasized the possible role of these microparticles as diagnostic and investigative tools. RBCs lose membrane, both in vivo and during ex vivo storage, by the blebbing of microvesicles from the tips of echinocytic spicules.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A portable automated component collection system that produces double (2) units of leukoreduced RBCs (DRBCs) from a single donation was evaluated. This study analyzed quality of the collected and final products, the efficacy of automated leukoreduction, and donor safety.
Study Design And Methods: The system was used to collect 120 DRBCs.
Background: Better storage can improve RBC availability and safety. Optimizing RBC ATP production and minimizing hemolysis has allowed progressively longer storage.
Study Design And Methods: In the first study, 24 units of packed CPD RBCs were pooled in groups of four, realiquoted, and added to 300 mL of one of four variants of experimental additive solution 76 (EAS-76) containing 45, 40, 35, or 30 mEq per L NaCl.
Background: Concentrations of 2,3-DPG decline rapidly in the first week of RBC storage because of the low pH of conventional storage solutions. Alkaline additive solutions, which can preserve RBCs for up to 11 weeks, still do not preserve 2,3-DPG because the starting pH is below 7.2.
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