Abstract: Non-lethal methods of conditioning a recipient prior to bone marrow transplantation to achieve highly enhanced, stable, long-term hematopoietic chimerism in presence of transient immunosuppression are described. In particular, the administration of non-lethal doses of bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals such as 153Samarium Lexidronam, a radioactive compound linked to a tetraphosphonate group, to target bone marrow cells, are disclosed herein.

Abstract: A novel method using anti-interleukin 2 receptor monoclonal antibodies for treating patients having severe viral hepatitis C is described. The inventive method may be used to treat recurrent hepatitis C following liver transplantation, thereby reducing complications in recipients of liver allografts.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are: a composition including at least one glycosaminoglycan, e.g., CIS, and at least one alginate, e.g., sodium alginate, wherein: the at least one glycosaminoglycan and/or the algninate are cross-linked or polymerized, e.g., the alginate is cross-linked or polymerized, for instance by addition of an inorganic salt, such as a calcium salt; or the at least one glycosaminoglycan and the alginate are covalently bound, e.g., by means of a coupling reaction involving a linker molecule such as DVS; or the at least one glycosaminoglycan and/or the algninate are cross-linked or polymerized, e.g., the alginate is cross-linked or polymerized, for instance by addition of an inorganic salt, such as a calcium salt, and the at least one glycosaminoglycan and the alginate are covalently bound, e.g.

Abstract: A cell population or subpopulation enrichment procedure for separating undesired populations or subpopulations from a biological sample utilizing relatively heavy, dense particles and gravity sedimentation. The particles have one or more reactants bound thereto which are specific to and will bind with the selected population or subpopulation to be eliminated from the sample. The particles preferably are mixed with the sample by repeatedly causing the particles to settle through a substantial portion of the sample to bind to the selected population. The particles with the bound selected population to be eliminated then are allowed to preferentially settle in the sample and the supernatant including the enriched population or subpopulation is separated from the particles with the population to be eliminated bound thereto.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mammalian hematopoietic facilitatory cells (FC). In particular, it relates to the isolation, characterization and uses of the FC. The FC of the present invention can be distinguished from all other known bone marrow cells by their morphology, cell surface phenotype and in vivo function. It has now been established that purified hematopoietic stem cells alone or bone marrow cells depleted of FC do not readily engraft in a recipient. When co-administered with other bone marrow cells, especially the hematopoietic stem cells into a recipient, the FC enhance their engraftment, without apparent adverse biologic activities. In fact, the ability of the FC to enhance the engraftment of bone marrow cells in esablishing lymphohematopoietic chimerism without producing graft versus host disease also induces donor-specific tolerance to permit the permanent acceptance of donor's cells, tissues and organs.

Abstract: A method to obtain purified, well-defined cell populations from intact organs uses digestion of the distended organ with suitable proteolytic enzymes and harvest of the cell subpopulation by screening the effluent from treatment of the organ with physiologically compatible medium by a filtration screen permitting the passage of the desired cells or clusters of cells, but preventing the passage of larger particles. In this manner, physical/mechanical disruption of the cell population is unnecessary, and the cells or clusters are eased out of their structural matrix and harvested directly. Application of this method to the preparation of purified Islets of Langerhans from intact pancreas is described.