Red Blood Cell Storage and Post-transfusion Recovery

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is essential for treating severe anemia, acute blood loss, and RBC production disorders by restoring oxygen-carrying capacity. Ensuring the safety and efficacy of transfused RBCs involves collection, processing, and storage. Despite optimal conditions, stored RBCs experience the "storage lesion," involving biochemical and morphological changes that affect their quality. Post-transfusion recovery (PTR), indicating the survival and functionality of transfused RBCs, is influenced by the storage lesion and varies among donors due to genetic and environmental factors. Although studies in human volunteers have identified factors correlated with PTR, mouse models can be leveraged to establish causative relationships due to the ability to manipulate and control genetic and environmental variables. Herein, using mouse models, we describe how to assess PTR from transfused stored RBC units.