Stem cells could be defined as cells capable for self-renewal with high
proliferative capacity and extensive potential to differentiate into blood
cells or some somatic cell types - ?plasticity? due to
?trans-differentiation? - such as osteocytes, chondrocytes, hepatocytes,
myocytes, cardiomyocytes and even endothelial cells. Recent increasing
clinical use of various cell-mediated therapeutic approaches has resulted in
amplified needs for both stem cells and operating procedures to get a
minimized cell damages during collection, purification and cryopreservation.
The aim of cell harvesting procedures is to obtain the best stem cells yield,
high purity and good viability/clonogenicity. The goal of optimized
cryoinvestigation protocols is to minimize cell injuries during the
freeze/thaw process (cryoinjury). Despite the fact that different stem cells
collection protocols and cell freezing practice are already in routine use, a
lot of questions related to the optimal blood stem cells harvesting,
purification and cryopreservation are still unresolved.