Transfusion
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Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) originally isolated from marrow have multipotent differentiation potential and favorable immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties that make them very attractive for regenerative cellular therapy. Cells with similar phenotypic characteristics have now been derived from almost all fetal, neonatal, and adult tissues; furthermore, more recently similar cells have also been generated from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Generation of MSCs from human ESCs provides an opportunity to study the developmental biology of human mesenchymal lineage generation in vitro. ⋯ MSCs from adult sources are being investigated in numerous Phase I-III clinical trials for a wide variety of indications, mainly based on their immunomodulatory properties. Our group and others have shown MSCs derived from human ESCs possess immunomodulatory properties similar to marrow-derived MSCs. Immunomodulatory properties of ESC-derived MSCs could prove to be highly valuable for their potential clinical applications in the future as derivatives of human ESCs have already entered clinical arena in the context of Phase I clinical trials.
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The association of red blood cell (RBC) storage on morbidity outcome after cardiac surgery is debated. We sought to clarify the association of the age of transfused blood on outcome in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. ⋯ Our data support previous suggestions of an association between transfusion of older RBCs and poorer outcome in cardiac surgery patients. Randomized controlled trials are required to determine the true causal nature of any such association.