Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2008, 215(1)

Maternal and Neonatal Factors Associated with the High Yield of Mononuclear Low-Density/CD34⁺ Cells from Placental/Umbilical Cord Blood

ATSUKO OMORI,¹ KENJI TAKAHASHI,¹ MASAHARU HAZAWA,¹ NAOKO MISAKI,² HISATERU OHBA,¹ MAMI MANABE,⁴ HARUO SATO,⁴ KAORI KUDO,⁴ TSUNEO A. TAKAHASHI³ and IKUO KASHIWAKURA¹

¹Department of Radiological Life Sciences, Division of Medical Life Sciences, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki, Japan
²Department of Health Promotion, Division of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki, Japan
³Cell Processing Department, The Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
⁴Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki National Hospital, Hirosaki, Japan

Placental/umbilical cord blood (CB) contains nucleated cells and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (CD34⁺ cells). However it is difficult to predict the number of nucleated/CD34⁺ cells in each CB before cell processing. Despite many previous studies from institutes affiliated with CB banks in metropolitan areas, little information is available regarding the characteristics of CB units from other medical facilities. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the maternal/neonatal factors on the yield of cells in CB units. A total of 176 CB units were obtained from single-birth and normal vaginal deliveries. Mononuclear low-density (LD) cells were separated using Ficoll-Paque within 24 hrs after CB collection and then processed for the purification of CD34⁺ cells. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the correlations between the yield of cells and maternal/neonatal factors including maternal age, gravid status, duration of labor, gestational age, neonatal height and weight, cord length, and meconium in the amniotic fluid. The total LD cells per CB unit had a weak positive correlation with the maternal age of primigravidae. The total LD cells per CB unit from the primigravidae aged ≥ 25 were significantly higher than those from the primigravidae aged ≤ 24. The total CD34⁺ cells per CB unit from the 1-gravidae were significantly higher than those from the 2-gravidae and 3-gravidae, respectively among all donors. These results indicate that the CB units from the primigravidae aged ≥ 25 are more likely to contain higher yield of LD/CD34⁺ cells.

keywords —— cord blood; mononuclear cells; CD34⁺ cells; maternal/neonatal factors.

© 2008 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2008, 215, 23-32

Correspondence: Ikuo Kashiwakura, Ph.D., Division of Medical Life Sciences, Department of Radiological Life Sciences, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki 036-8564, Japan.

e-mail: ikashi@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp