DEVELOPMENT OF REAGENTS FOR STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION

We will develop chemically defined reagents that support hematopoietic stem cell proliferation andSuch reagents would be valuable in hematological research especially for bone marrow transplantationex-vivo purging. Preliminary evidence indicates that it is feasible to replace the ill-defined and uwith defined chemicals. A hallmark in the progress of hematological research has been the developmenreagents. The serum-free reagents are a dramatic improvement over serum containing reagents but stilcomponents as BSA. Replacement of these ill-defined components would be of inestimable importance esdevelopment of U.S. pharmaceutical grade reagents. Typically these reagents have required the presenproducts, by-passing such components would eliminate the problems associated with blood procurementvolunteers (hepatitis, HIV, etc.) along with the time and material involved. The Phase II effort wildevelopment and optimization of chemically defined reagents for bone marrow expansion and their evalbone marrow transplantation, gene therapy and ex vivo purging.