Cord blood progenitor cells have greater transendothelial migratory activity and increased responses to SDF-1 and MIP-3β compared with mobilized adult progenitor cells

When cord blood is used as a source of haemopoietic stem cells for transplantation, fewer cells are required per kg of recipient. This greater engraftment efficiency of cord blood cells may relate to an increased ability to traverse sinusoidal endothelium, a crucial step in the homing of stem cells. We report that freshly isolated cord blood progenitors migrated more efficiently than mobilized adult cells. Cord blood progenitors responded rapidly to growth factor stimulation with an increase in migratory ability within 24 h whereas mobilized adult cells responded only after 72 h (P