SIMPLIFIED FORZEN-BLOO

THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER FROZEN RED BLOOD CELLS STORED AT -25 DEGREES CENTIGRADE FOR PERIODS UP TO 6 MONTHS WILL HAVE AN IN VIVO SURVIVAL EQUAL TO THAT OF FROZEN RED BLOOD CELLS STORED AT -65 DEGREES CENTIGRADE FOR PERIODS UP TO 10 YEARS AND WHETHER THEY WILL MEET THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND REVIEW FOR THE BLOOD PRODUCT, RED BLOOD CELLS FROZEN. THE SPECIFIC AIM OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER REDBLOOD CELLS FROZEN AND STORED AT -25 DEGREES CENTIGRADE HAVESUFFICIENT RECOVERY AND IN VITRO BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICSTO JUSTIFY THEIR USE FOR TRANSFUSION THERAPY, I.E., AT LEASTAN 80-PERCENT RECOVERY OF RED BLOOD CELLS FOLLOWING DEGLYCEROLIZATION, NORMAL 2,3 DPG LEVELS, AND AT LEAST 70 PERCENT OF THE BASELINE ATP LEVEL. THESE STUDIES ARE THE FIRST PART OF A DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE TECHNOLOGY TO EXPAND THE CAPABILITIES OF AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONOR PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE THE USE OF A SIMPLIFIED METHOD FOR THE FREEZING PRESERVATION AT -25 DEGREES CENTIGRADE AND RECOVERY OF RED BLOOD CELLS THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR TRANSFUSION. SUCH A PROGRAM COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE WIDE USE AND ACCEPTANCE IN COMMUNITY HOSPITALS AND BLOOD BANKS, IN UNDERDEVELOPED AREAS WHERE SOPHISTICATED FREEZING AND STORAGE EQUIPMENT IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE, ANDIN THE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT WHERE EVERY MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES IS A POTENTIAL BLOOD DONOR.