A strategy of splitting individual high volume cord blood units into two half subunits prior to processing increases the recovery of cells and facilitates ex vivo expansion of the infused haematopoietic progenitor cells in adults

Abstract

This study was designed to maximize the recovery of the desirable cell populations contained in the cord blood (CB) freezing bag, in order to optimize donor selection for adolescents and adults. To evaluate this hypothesis, high volume CB units (CBUs) were categorized into three volume collection groups (120-139, 140-159 and >or=160 ml) and were randomly split before volume reduction into two half low volume CBUs; (a) and (b). Using the SEPAX Cell Processing System, all CBUs were standardized to 26 ml. In 128 high volume split CBUs, the WBC, mononuclear cell and CD34+ cell recoveries were significantly higher (P <or= 0.05; 80%, 79.89% and 87.41% respectively) than those of the 106 high volume nonsplit CBUs (59.7%, 62.82% and 68.62% respectively), resulting in significantly higher (P <or= 0.05) mean weights of the potential recipients. The strategy of splitting high volume CBUs into two half low volume CBUs improves the recovery of the cells and is an attractive option for ex vivo expansion, in order to facilitate the CB transplantation in adults who are not eligible for single CB transplantation because of limitations of cell dose.

Improving umbilical cord blood processing to increase total nucleated cell count yield and reduce cord input wastage by managing the consequences of input variation

“…Taking these factors into consideration, this work seeks to test the theory that 21 mL (a standard volume for volume-reduced UCB) is the optimal final volume for all UCB units regardless of the initial number of TNC or initial collected volume. Previously, Papassavas et al [12] have shown that with the use of the Sepax system, splitting large units of UCB into 2 smaller volume units before processing increased TNC, mononuclear and CD34þ recoveries. Solves et al [13] also showed that in systems other than Sepax, the increase in volume of buffy coat collected increased the yield of TNC.…”

Isolation of nucleated cells fraction from umbilical cord blood – choice of method

“…Furthermore, the use of semi-automatic CB processing systems significantly reduces the risk of contamination and damage of CB container [18]. Since 2000 along with the use of semi-automatic systems there were used fully automatic ones, such as Sepax S-100 (Biosafe, Switzerland) [19,20]. Using this cell separator, a number of manipulations with CB is reduced comparing to the semi-automatic systems.…”

Successful short‐term cryopreservation of volume‐reduced cord blood units in a cryogenic mechanical freezer: effects on cell recovery, viability, and clonogenic potential

“…To ensure safety and reproducibility, for MNC separation from 105 fresh CB samples, an automated cell‐processing system (Sepax, Biosafe, Eysins, Switzerland) was used (UCB‐HES protocol), with a cell separation kit (CS‐490, Sepax; a closed system of three bags: buffy coat, plasma, and red blood cell [RBC] collection bags), which was connected to the CB collection bag with a sterile docking system (TCD, Haemonetics, Braintree, MA), similar to a methodology described previously . After removal of samples for quality control (QC) testing, hydroxyethyl starch (6% HES in 0.9 NaCl [130 kDa]; Fresenius Kabi, Bad Homburg, Germany) was added to the CB collection bag at a final concentration of 20% (vol/vol), 20 minutes before starting the process.…”