> My question then is, do your centers still require the Colony Assays and > would running a commercial control with each test or batch of tests > eliminate the need for Colony Assays? This question came up here about two years ago, and gave rise to a lively debate. I'll be interested to see whether views and approaches have changed. Until recently, we performed the progenitor (colony) assay on every product we processed for transplantation. Given improvements in CD34 measurement, and in view of the time required for the progenitor assay, we now do the progenitor assay only on extensively-manipulated products, products otherwise thought to be at risk (rare), or at the clinician's request. We do include the progenitor assay in our regular QC testing. Extensively manipulated products include cells having undergone ex vivo expansion, transduction or unusual selection processes (other than CD34 selection). We did do some work on streamlining and standardizing the progenitor assay, with the idea that if we were going to do it at all we ought to control it better. Here is the cite -- Improved progenitor assay standardization using G-CSF-stimulated peripheral blood progenitor cells. Transfusion 1999 39:451-56. Best of luck. Scott -------------------------------------------------- Scott R. Burger, M.D. Director, Cell Therapy Clinical Laboratory Assistant Medical Director, Blood Bank University of Minnesota, Fairview-University Medical Center 612-626-4919 612-625-2199 - Fax burge009@tc.umn.edu http://www.mbbnet.umn.edu/labs/ctcl.html http://www.borg.labmed.umn.edu/faculty/burger_s.html
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