Clinical applications of ex vivo cultured CD34(+) cells and myeloid progenitors

After extensive preclinical work, hematopoietic cellular therapy has recent ly entered a new era of clinical trials involving ex vivo cultured cells. T he evolution of hematopoietic cell culture from clonogenic assays to large- scale static culture systems and bioreactors, and the identification and pr oduction of hematopoietic growth factors, have in part made this possible. In addition, murine models have demonstrated encouraging results with regar d to the feasibility of infusing cultured cells, as well as to the potentia l efficacy. Several trials have recently been published utilizing ex vivo g enerated hematopoietic progenitors and myeloid progenitors, and are reviewe d here. The field of clinical hematopoietic cellular therapy, while still i n its infancy, is progressing rapidly, and promises to offer improved thera peutic options.