Gaps in the knowledge of human platelet lysate as a cell culture supplement for cell therapy: a joint publication from the AABB and the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy.

Abstract

Cell therapeutics are emerging as a viable modality to treat challenging diseases such as cancer, organ degeneration, or (auto)immune diseases resulting in an increased demand for their large-scale, high-quality production. Currently, fetal bovine serum (FBS) is the most widely used growth factor supplement for the expansion of human cell therapy products. However, there has been a strong impetus from regulatory agencies and biomedical professionals in the field to develop methods for cell expansion that do not utilize animal products in their production process.1 Human platelet lysate (hPL) has been identified as a possible growth supplement contender—rich in growth factors and produced in most cases from expired platelets (PLTs)—that can be used to replace FBS.