White Cells and Platelets in Blood Transfusion

I. Principles and functional aspects.- The human MHC (HLA) and immediate relevance in transfusion Practice.- Alloimmunization against platelets and granulocytes.- Leukocytes in transfusion medicine - an overview of functions and clinical implications.- Platelet functions and platelet transfusion.- Discussion.- II. Clinical Aspects.- A.Presence of cells.- Platelet transfusion.- Prospective selection of compatible platelet donors for alloimmunized patients by an ELISA platelet cross-match only.- White blood cell transfusions in the immuno-compromised patients.- Immunization with antigen-bound antibody: an experimental approach to prevention of sensitization to allogeneic blood cells.- Autologous bone marrow transplantation in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML): in vitro studies to detect minimal disease in remission marrow.- Autologous bone marrow transplantation in solid malignancies.- Discussion.- Clinical use of leukocyte poor red cell concentrates.- Management and prevention of cytomegalovirus infection.- Graft-versus-Host disease and the role of blood product irradiation.- Perspectives for lymphokine therapy: from genetic engineering to immunologic engineering.- Discussion.- III. Production aspects.- Practical aspects of platelet concentrate production and storage.- Surge plateletapheresis.- Platelets and propylene glycol: an approach to freezing platelets in the presence of a new cryoprotectant.- Bacterial contamination in platelets stored at ambient temperature.- Preparation of leukocyte-poor blood.- Use of hemapheresis-derived hemopoietic stem cells for transplantation in malignant lymphohemopoietic disorders.- Purging of bone marrow.- Discussion.- IV. Laboratory aspects.- HLA-matching and crossmatching in platelet transfusion.- Cell culture and immune function tests.- Platelet antibody detection.- Decreased fluidity of human platelet membranes after interaction with an anti PLA1 antibody.- Role of white cells in reagents for AIDS.- Discussion.