Isolation of primitive human hematopoietic progenitors on the basis of aldehyde dehydrogenase activity

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.96.16.9118
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T14:38:21Z
• Authors: Robert W. Storms; Aliana P. Trujillo; James B. Springer; Lisa Shah; O. Michael Colvin; Susan M. Ludeman; Clay Smith
• Keywords: Cord blood

Because hematopoietic stem cells are rich in aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, we developed a fluorescent substrate for ALDH, termed BODIPY aminoacetaldehyde (BAAA), and tested its potential isolating primitive human cells. A population of with low orthogonal light scattering bright fluorescence intensity (SSC lo ALDH br cells) could be readily fractionated from umbilical cord blood costained BAAA the multidrug-resistance inhibitor verapamil. The SSC was depleted lineage-committed cells, 40–90% pure CD34 + CD38 lo/− enriched 50- to 100-fold progenitors detected short- long-term culture analyses. Together, these observations indicate that fractionating on basis activity using is an effective method progenitors. This technique may useful other tissues as well.