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Background and Objectives Total colony-forming cells from thawed cord blood units ( CBUs) include megakaryocytic colony-forming units ( CFU-Mks), which survive the freezing process. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether different megakaryocytic progenitors from unseparated CBUs survive the freezing process and a short-term liquid culture. Materials and Methods Thawed samples of CBUs were cultured in liquid medium. During the cultures, serial samples were drawn to assess the growth of different megakaryocytic progenitors in a semisolid collagen medium with identical cytokines as in the liquid medium. Megakaryocytic cells were detected using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Results In suspension culture, the megakaryocytic progenitors almost completely lost the ability to generate large (burst-forming unit-like, BFU-like) megakaryocytic colonies in semisolid cultures (large colonies, median count per chamber d0: 7·25 vs. d7: 1·5; P < 0·0001), whereas the number of small colonies (median count per chamber d0: 7·25 vs. d7: 16·0; P = 0·0505) peaked at day seven. Further 7-day culture in suspension resulted in the decline of small colonies as well (d7: 16·0 vs. d14: 5·75; P = 0·0088). Total CFU-Mk count declined from 23·3 (range 12·5-34·0) at d0 to 7·25 (range 1·0-13·5) at d14 ( P < 0·0001). Conclusion Immediately post-thaw, CBUs possess an ability to generate large BFU-like megakaryocytic colonies, whereas the colonies were not detectable in most CBUs in semisolid culture after a short suspension culture. Small CFU-Mks were observed throughout the cultures. It may be that the BFU-Mk colonies matured and acquired CFU-Mk behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of patients with severe immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency and a history of anaphylactic transfusion reaction. Patients include a 62-year-old woman with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a 56-year-old woman with cryptogenic hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The liver and lung transplantations were successful and the use of washed red blood cell (RBC) and platelet components as transfusion support were effective as well.

A letter to the editor in response to the article "Inaccuracy in factor VIII measurement due to administration of recombinant activated factor VII in vivopu," published in a previous issue of the journal is presented.