Stem cell-derived erythrocytes as upcoming players in blood transfusion.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Blood transfusion is current standard-of-care for genetic forms of anemia that would be otherwise lethal and allows implementation of aggressive cytotoxic/surgical therapies developed for numerous types of cancer. In developed countries the blood supply is adequate and sporadically even in excess. However, difficulties exist in finding blood with rare phenotypes to treat alloimmunized patients and the progressive ageing of the human population predicts that blood will become scarce by 2050. These considerations establish the need for the development of techniques to generate cultured red blood cell (cRBCs) as transfusion products.

Materials and methods

Recent progress in cell culture techniques is revolutionizing organ replacement therapies. Two new disciplines, c

SUBMITTER: Migliaccio AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4517842 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature