Research Advances: Mobilized Stem Cells vs Bone Marrow Stem Cells

In the nearly 65 years since the first successful bone marrow transplant, researchers and medical professionals have used stem cells derived from bone marrow for transplantation and research.

Since 1965, there have been many advances in stem cell sourcing processes and technologies. Among those improvements are the advantages offered by the use of mobilized CD34+ stem cells over bone marrow stem cells.

A Brief History of Stem Cell Collection

While advances in sourcing were made over the decades, one roadblock remained: the intensive procedure necessary to collect bone marrow from donors.

Historically, bone marrow was collected from a donor and transfused into a patient, where the cells in the donor marrow naturally took up residency in the recipient’s marrow. Bone marrow donors had to undergo multiple aspirations from the iliac crest of the pelvic bone via the insertion of a cannula through the outer bone into the trabecular bone and the marrow. Ouch! Uncomfortable, and even painful for some, the procedure was a deterrent from donating.

Much of the sourcing process for bone marrow collection remained the same until the 1980s when scientists developed the ability to harness hematopoietic stem cells from umbilical cord blood. While cord blood stem cells are easier to collect in theory, the volume of cells from each donation is limited and cannot replenish the bone marrow without further cell expansion.

Sourcing Stem Cells from Peripheral Blood

In the 1990s, with the introduction of recombinant growth factors, scientists started collecting stem cells directly from peripheral blood. An injection of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) increases the production of granulocytes in the bone marrow. It also causes stem cells to migrate out of the marrow into circulation, where they can be collected by apheresis — a much less invasive procedure than bone marrow collection.

Advantages of Mobilized CD34+ Stem Cells vs. Bone Marrow Stem Cells

Comparisons between the typical bone marrow stem cells and the more recent mobilized CD34+ stem cells were necessary. Upon testing, it was found that the two sources of stem cells were interchangeable. In fact, today’s bone marrow transplants are not actually bone marrow, but instead leukapheresis collections from donors who have received G-CSF.

With the addition of Plerixafor (Mozibil), a CXCR4 inhibitor that also moves stem cells into the circulation, mobilized leukapheresis donations continue to be improved. Astarte offers mobilized leukopaks from both G-CSF mobilized donors and G-CSF + Plerixafor donors. You can request them here.

Mobilized CD34+ Stem Cells Advantages

• Increased cell yields
• Aligns with current transplantation procedures
• Easier donation procedure
• May contain other cell types (e.g., endothelial progenitors or mesenchymal stromal cells)

Are you still using bone marrow stem cells in your research?

Try mobilized CD34+ stem cells to experience the difference.

This post originally appeared on the Astarte Biologics blog and has been modified for Patch.