Leukapheresis is a laboratory procedure in which white blood cells are separated from a sample of blood, a specific type of apheresis, the more general term for separating out one particular blood constituent and returning the remainder to the circulation. It may be performed to decrease a very high white blood cell count in conditions such as chronic leukemia, where high counts can cause sludging in the capillaries and affect the retina, lungs or brain; to obtain a patient's own or a donor's white blood cells for later transplant, including protecting cells from damage before high-dose chemotherapy; or to obtain leukocytes for CAR-T cell therapy or for research. Removal of only granulocytes, macrophages and monocytes, leaving lymphocyte counts largely unchanged, is also used to treat autoimmune diseases such as ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Facts
FAQs
Why is leukapheresis performed?
It lowers a very high white blood cell count and collects white blood cells for transplant, CAR-T therapy or research.
Leukapheresis separates white blood cells from a sample of blood and returns the remainder to the circulation. It may be performed to lower a very high white blood cell count, which in chronic leukemias can cause leukostasis and sludging in the capillaries and affect the retina, lungs or brain. It is also used to obtain a patient's own or a donor's blood cells for a later transplant, to obtain cells for CAR-T cell therapy, and to obtain cells for research.
Does leukapheresis always remove every kind of white blood cell?
Not always: some versions remove only granulocytes, macrophages and monocytes and leave lymphocytes largely unchanged.
No. In one form of the procedure only granulocytes, macrophages and monocytes are removed, leaving the lymphocyte count largely unchanged. That selective approach is used as a treatment for autoimmune diseases such as ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis, where these cells play an active part in the inflammation process.
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Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
Leukapheresis (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leukapheresis, lead section
Leukapheresis ( ) is a laboratory procedure in which white blood cells are separated from a sample of blood.
In Group: Apheresis and Plasma Exchange, Introduction
Leukapheresis ( ) is a laboratory procedure in which white blood cells are separated from a sample of blood.
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