Separation of hematopoietic progenitor cells from human umbilical cord blood.

Human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) is a rich source of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC). Nevertheless, it has been previously reported that attempts to enrich for HPC resulted in substantial loss of progenitor cells. We have developed a cell processing technique for HUCB using 3% gelatin sedimentation and the AIS MicroCELLectorSBA and CD34. By this technique, we were able to deplete red blood cells (RBC) and obtain a partial T cell depletion, while maintaining 70-90% of the HPC. The results indicate that it may be possible to manipulate cord blood without significant loss of HPC, thus enhancing its utility for transplantation.