Expansion of Stem Cells From CD34-Enriched Populations

In vitro expansion of hematopoietic cells finds many applications in the clinic. This technique hasexpanding CD34+ cells for transplantation/re infusion, although most of the technology has consistedcultures in which there is variable CFUGM expansions and failure to maintain LTC IC (long term cultuThe Investigators have found that perfusion cultures of bone marrow mononuclear cells result in expaCD34+ cells and CFU GM but also the 5 week and 8 week LTC IC. In this application the Investigatorsa perfusion system for expanding CD34 enriched cell populations including the LTC IC cell populationassess the effects of medium perfusion and pre formed stroma upon this expansion, and will use the ssystems as a model and bench mark for ultimately developing stromal free systems based entirely uponof exogenously added growth factors. If successful, these studies will lead to a Phase II proposal fautomated systems for expansion of purified cell populations and subsequent clinical trials to estabexpanded cells.