GUIDELINES FOR THE COLLECTION, PROCESSING AND STORAGE OF HUMAN BONE-MARROW AND PERIPHERAL STEM-CELLS FOR TRANSPLANTATION

There are no current U.K. or international guidelines or regulations c overing the production, processing and storage of haemopoietic cells s uch as to allow their engraftment following myeloablative therapy. Thi s paper seeks to provide such guidelines. It enumerates how quality co ntrol and assurance can be applied to this area of transfusion medicin e; procedural steps relating to bone marrow harvest on peripheral bloo d stem cell collection are outlined and recommended doses of nucleated cells suggested for both procedures. General specifications for ident ification, storage and transportation of bone marrow and peripheral bl ood stem cells are included and specific laboratory procedures related to the provision of haemopoietic cells for engraftment are outlined. Umbilical cord blood transplants and long-term bone marrow culture are alluded to but these are still in a research phase.