Identifying and Characterizing Red Blood Cell Microvesiculation, Phosphatidylserine and CD47 Expression As a Predictor of Red Blood Cell In Vitro Quality Following Hypothermic Storage

Proper preservation of the quality of stored red blood cells (RBC) is fundamental for successful blood transfusion. RBC microparticles (RMPs) have been shown to be harmful effectors of inflammation and coagulation posttransfusion, as well as in vitro indicators of RBC function and integrity throughout ex vivo storage. The main objectives of this thesis were to develop a flow cytometric analysis method to identify, characterize and quantify RMPs during hypothermic storage (HS) along with examining the effects of biochemical rejuvenation on RBC microvesiculation and membrane composition. This thesis demonstrated that HS conditions induce RBC microvesiculation and changes in CD47 and PS. This study also showed evidence that ATP restoration following the rejuvenation had no significant effect on RMPs generation or PS and CD47 expression throughout HS. The work presented in this thesis has furthered the field of the biopreservation by outlining techniques to improve blood transfusion.