Processing Volumes and Therapeutic Cellular Doses of Point of Care Bone Marrow Concentrates

Abstract

AIMS: Bone Marrow Concentrates (BMC) applied to treat several osteo-articular pathologies had reported positive clinical outcomes at short- to medium-term follow up. However, the diversity of indications reported and the lack of consensus describing the formulation of BMC make it difficult to circumscribe basic processing variables to generate them. We analyzed the influence of processing different Bone Marrow (BM) volumes over the formulation and deliverable cell dose of BMC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Main cellular populations were characterized in BMC manufactured and applied for autologous use during the same surgical procedure. To do this, Flow Cytometry and Fibroblastic Colony Forming Units (CFU-Fs) assays were used.

RESULTS: Cell concentration of aspirates was not statistically influenced in the range of volumes analyzed. Consequently the quality of BM seems to be conserved in the range of volumes assayed. By using the protocol described, the quality of BMC traditionally defined as CFU-F per mL did not differ in the range of volumes assayed whereas total dose of CFU-F and other differentiated cells effectively changed.

CONCLUSIONS: The volume of BM defines cellular doses arriving to the patient with statistically significant differences. Parameters currently used to describe the quality of BMC as CFU-F/mL appear to be directly influenced by working volumes and thus total cellular doses applied might better characterize these products. Finally, since it is uncertain what cells within BMC form part of its active substance, the quantification of main cell subsets could be helpful to better understand where, when and how these medicinal products work.