[Screening test for hematopoietic stem cells in umbilical cord blood by automated hematology analyzer, SE-9000].

An IMI channel on automated hematology analyzer SE-9000 was used for detection of stem cells in cord blood in comparison with other standard methods such as flow cytometry analysis and progenitor assays. IMI count in cord blood samples correlated with the numbers of CD34+ cells, CFU-GM and BFU-E. Also the cell count in HPC area showed a correlation with CD34+ cells number, but to lesser extent than IMI count, and there was no significant correlation with the numbers of progenitor cells. Cord blood contains higher frequency of immature subclasses of progenitor cells, and it might explain the difference in the result of HPC module between cord blood and peripheral blood stem cell sample. The results demonstrated a usefulness of the measurement of IMI-positive cells to estimate stem cell content in cord blood samples as a screening test for cell banking.