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Updated: Dec 18, 2025
Expansion, Purification, and Functional Assessment of Human Peripheral Blood NK Cells
Published on: February 2, 2011
Natural killer cell reconstitution after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in children
Israel Parra-Ortega1, Noemí Nájera-Martínez1, Félix Gaytán-Morales2
1Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Clinical Laboratory Department, Mexico City. Mexico.
Introduction:
After hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), natural killer (NK) cells reconstitution is the main barrier against viral infections.
Objective:
To determine that the knowledge on the kinetics of NK cell reconstitution after HSCT contributes to transplant efficient monitoring, which increases the possibility of its success.
Method:
Twenty-one patients undergoing HSCT were included, as well as a control group of clinically healthy individuals. At different time points after transplantation (range of 21 to 670 days), CD3- CD16+ CD56+ NK cells were quantified by flow cytometry in peripheral blood samples.
Results:
NK cell recovery occurs at three to six months and 10 to 12 months post-transplantation; their number was significantly lower (in comparison with the control group) in the rest of the monitoring time.
Conclusions:
The first period of NK cell recovery occurs between three and six months after transplantation. Reconstitution is transient and the number of NK cells varies in the first years.
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