Continuous flow cell separator use for bone marrow processing

Many techniques have been described for processing bone marrow prior to transplantation, purging or cryopreservation. Effective techniques incorporate centrifugation and, or, density separation to produce an ideal marrow concentrate. We report on the use of a continuous flow cell separator (COBE Spectra) for marrow processing. Preliminary results indicate that the improved technology incorporated in this machine together with the new algorithm control of its collection functions allows for rapid collection of an ideal marrow concentrate. The addition of an inert sedimenting agent prior to processing enhances differential mononuclear cell collection and elimination of red blood cells and granulocytes. By this technique a volume depletion of 87% was achieved with recovery of 76.4% mononuclear cells and 86.5% CFU-GM progenitor cells. Marrow processed in this manner has been successfully transplanted; patients receiving such marrow show no delay in engraftment and their grafts have been sustained.