PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Red blood cells (RBCs) transfusion plays a critical role in numerous therapies. Disruption of blood collection by political unrest, natural disasters and emerging infections and implementation of restrictions on the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in cancer may impact blood availability in the near future. These considerations highlight the importance of developing alternative blood products. RECENT FINDINGS: Knowledge about the processes that control RBC production has been applied to the establishment of culture conditions allowing ex-vivo generation of RBCs in numbers close to those (2.5 x 10 cells/ml) present in a transfusion, from cord blood, donated blood units or embryonic stem cells. In addition, experimental studies demonstrate that such cells protect mice from lethal bleeding. Therefore, erythroid cells generated ex vivo may be suitable for transfusion provided they can be produced safely in adequate numbers. However, much remains to be done to translate a theoretical production of approximately 2.5 x 10 RBCs in the laboratory into a 'clinical grade production process'. SUMMARY: This review summarizes the state-of-the-art in establishing ex-vivo culture conditions for erythroid cells and discusses the most compelling issues to be addressed to translate this progress into a clinical grade transfusion product.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Red blood cells (RBCs) transfusion plays a critical role in numerous therapies. Disruption of blood collection by political unrest, natural disasters and emerging infections and implementation of restrictions on the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in cancer may impact blood availability in the near future. These considerations highlight the importance of developing alternative blood products. RECENT FINDINGS: Knowledge about the processes that control RBC production has been applied to the establishment of culture conditions allowing ex-vivo generation of RBCs in numbers close to those (2.5 x 10 cells/ml) present in a transfusion, from cord blood, donated blood units or embryonic stem cells. In addition, experimental studies demonstrate that such cells protect mice from lethal bleeding. Therefore, erythroid cells generated ex vivo may be suitable for transfusion provided they can be produced safely in adequate numbers. However, much remains to be done to translate a theoretical production of approximately 2.5 x 10 RBCs in the laboratory into a 'clinical grade production process'. SUMMARY: This review summarizes the state-of-the-art in establishing ex-vivo culture conditions for erythroid cells and discusses the most compelling issues to be addressed to translate this progress into a clinical grade transfusion product.
Authors: Gustavo Torres de Souza; Claudinéia Pereira Maranduba; Camila Maurmann de Souza; Danielle Luciana Aurora Soares do Amaral; Francisco Carlos da Guia; Rafaella de Souza Salomão Zanette; João Vitor Paes Rettore; Natana Chaves Rabelo; Lucas Mendes Nascimento; Ícaro França Navarro Pinto; Júlia Boechat Farani; Abrahão Elias Hallack Neto; Fernando de Sá Silva; Carlos Magno da Costa Maranduba; Angelo Atalla Journal: World J Stem Cells Date: 2015-01-26 Impact factor: 5.326
Authors: Jian Xu; Zhen Shao; Kimberly Glass; Daniel E Bauer; Luca Pinello; Ben Van Handel; Serena Hou; John A Stamatoyannopoulos; Hanna K A Mikkola; Guo-Cheng Yuan; Stuart H Orkin Journal: Dev Cell Date: 2012-10-04 Impact factor: 12.270