An animal model supporting human erythropoiesis will be highly valuable for assessing the biologic function of human RBCs under physiologic and disease settings, and for evaluating protocols of in vitro RBC differentiation. Herein, we analyzed human RBC reconstitution in NOD/SCID or NOD/SCID/γc(-/-) mice that were transplanted with human CD34+ fetal liver cells and fetal thymic tissue. Although...

The following experiments with rbc juice and stroma were undertaken to answer two questions : 1. Is the Hb in solution inert with an antiserum-protein serum and a blood-group specific serum ? 2. Can anti-rbc serum (such as antiRh serum, and anti-M&N fluids) be prepared from debris instead of whole cells which may not be compatible with the blood of the animal injected ? The first question is of...

In USA more than 12.5% of all infants are born preterm. Approximately 75% of all perinatal deaths occur among these preterm infants. Preterm infants are frequently very low in birth weight (VLBW) and receive multiple red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. These transfusions pose increased risk of infections and other complications. Since erythropoietin (EPO) stimulates RBC production, EPO treatment...

Natural and synthetic soluble drag reducing polymers (DRP) have been shown to produce beneficial effects on blood circulation in various animal models and may represent a novel bioengineering way to treat cardiovascular disorders. These polymers are known to degrade when subjected to high shear stresses which could be a part of the process of their elimination from the vascular system. However,...

In this issue of Blood, Kaul et al1 report that stimulation by platelet-activating factor (PAF) of artificially perfused rat mesocecum ex vivo promotes the adhesion of human sickle red blood cells (SS RBC) to postcapillary endothelium. Notably, this adhesive interaction was blocked by two different monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to endothelial aVb3 integrin receptor, with resulting improvement i...

INTRODUCTION The microcirculation supplies oxygen (O2) and nutrients to all cells with the red blood cell (RBC) acting as both a deliverer and sensor of O2. In sepsis, a proinflammatory disease with microvascular complications, small blood vessel alterations are associated with multi-organ dysfunction and poor septic patient outcome. We hypothesized that microvascular autoregulation-existing at...

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are essential for patients with hematological disorders and bone marrow failure syndromes. Despite ABO matching, RBC transfusions can lead to production of alloantibodies against "minor" blood group antigens. Non-ABO alloimmunization is a leading cause of transfusion-associated mortality in the U.S. Despite its clinical importance, little is known about the imm...

Hemolytic anemia is a major side effect of ribavirin antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Ribavirin dose reduction may compromise the antiviral response and erythropoietin can take several weeks to alleviate anemia. The purpose of the present study was to screen potentially protective drugs against ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia in a rabbit model, using our modified CO breath test f...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Systemic hypoxia is a common complication in stroke patients and may exacerbate ischemic brain damage. Expression of the hypoxia-inducible cytokine erythropoietin (Epo) is upregulated in the brain in both stroke patients and in animal stroke models and exerts local neuroprotective effects in the ischemic brain. Epo is also well known to stimulate red blood cell (RBC) prod...