Whole Blood
Whole blood is drawn from a single needle in your arm while sitting on an upright bed. This is what many people consider a “traditional” procedure. The process usually lasts upwards of 10 minutes (will not exceed 20 minutes) and you can expect little discomfort or reaction. The collected volumes will vary, depending on the needs for testing. You will be compensated for the volume of blood collected and your time with us.
Mononuclear Cells
Mononuclear cells are collected on an apheresis machine. Your whole blood is extracted from one arm and cycled through and separated in the machine. The desired blood component (mononuclear cells, a type of white blood cell) is extracted and your remaining blood is replaced into your other arm. This process may take up to three hours, but you can expect little discomfort because most of your fluids are being replaced back into your body. The resulting Leukopak is the most common product requested by our testing facilities and the one where CDI has the biggest need for participants.
Bone Marrow
Bone marrow is another highly requested product by our research labs. You will undergo additional pre-screening, including a physical by our medical staff to ensure you meet the criteria to be a bone marrow donor. Once you are qualified, a licensed doctor or nurse practitioner will perform the procedure in our custom, fully equipped bone marrow collection room. The procedure itself lasts less than 30 minutes, and you will be required to remain on-site for approximately 15 minutes post-procedure. You may experience some minor discomfort at the extraction site.
Mobilized Mononuclear Cells
Mobilized mononuclear cell collection is similar to the regular mononuclear cell collection procedure as it is done via apheresis. You will be required to undergo additional blood screening and a physical examination to determine eligibility. Once eligibility is determined, you will receive a mobilizing agent (filgrastim) from a licensed doctor or nurse practitioner. This stimulates your bone marrow to produce an increased number of stem cells in your blood. These stem cells are collected through our apheresis machine, and your other blood components are returned to you. This procedure will take upwards of 3 1/2 hours, and once complete you should experience little discomfort.
Platelets
Platelets are also collected on an apheresis machine but are not considered cells but cell fragments. In this procedure, your whole blood is extracted from one arm, cycled through and separated in the machine, and then returned to you in the same arm. The desired blood component (platelets) is extracted and is a semi-transparent yellow liquid within the collection kit. This process takes roughly 90 minutes and also causes little discomfort because most of your fluids are being replaced back into your body.
