Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cells
Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cells (PBPCs) are another type of cell therapy product that contains hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC). The cells are collected from the peripheral blood using an apheresis device, which acts like a centrifuge to remove whole blood from the donor and separate its components. A needle connected to tubing from the apheresis machine is typically placed in the donor’s arm. Blood enters the machine and is processed so that the HPCs and other white blood cells are removed, while the remainder of the blood is returned to the donor through a second needle placed in the other arm. To increase the number of circulating progenitor cells collected, prior to apheresis the donor/patient is prepared or “mobilized” using recombinant hematopoietic growth factor administration. The growth factor is usually administered for five days before cell collection. Patients donating autologous PBPCs may also receive chemotherapy as part of mobilization.
If there is a delay between collection and infusion, PBPCs may be stored at room temperature or in a refrigerator. PBPCs can also be cryopreserved, or frozen, if necessary, a procedure commonly used when they are collected for an autologous transplant. The frozen cells are usually stored in a liquid nitrogen freezer at less than -135ºC (-211ºF).
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