Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Abstract

The Availability of Frozen Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells for Erythrocytes Generation In Vitro

Ju Mi Park, Kyeongwon Jo, Suyeon Kim, Arim Shin, Neha Kaushik, Ki Young Ryu, Ji Myung Kim* and Eun Jung Baek*

Efforts have been made toward the in vitro generation of stem cell–derived Red Blood Cells (RBCs) to overcome the worldwide blood shortage for transfusion. As starting stem cell sources, primary Cluster of Differentiation CD34⁺ cells derived from umbilical Cord Blood (CB) are well known for its limited proliferation capacity. Blood Mononuclear Cells (MNCs) also can be used and many frozen CB MNCs are banked, but their value as a source for generating RBCs has not been evaluated. Here, we cultured fresh and frozen CB-MNCs to generate RBCs. The viability of frozen-thawed CB-MNCs was approximately 80%, and the proliferation rates were not significantly different from those of fresh MNCs. The presence of macrophages among the MNCs did not significantly increase erythroblast expansion. This suggests that frozen CB-MNCs are comparable to fresh MNCs in terms of RBC generation, but establishing erythroid cell lines would be necessary to overcome the proliferation capacity.

Published Date: 2023-08-25; Received Date: 2023-07-19