Why is it necessary to match bone marrow donors and recipients?
• Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) involves transfer of bone marrow cells from a donor to a recipient. • In order for such a transfer to be successful, it is important that the transplanted cells and the recipient’s body recognize one another as ‘self,’ and not as foreign material to be attacked and rejected. • Self-recognition is more likely to occur is there is a close match between the donor and the recipient. • How does the body recognize self? • Most cells of the body carry inherited surface markers which the body’s immune system recognizes as ‘self.’ • These markers, referred to as human leukocyte antigens (HLAs), are present in 6 pairs. • One copy (or allele) of each pair is inherited from the mother and one copy is inherited from the father. • The 6 pairs of HLAs are termed: • HLA-A • HLA-B • HLA-C • HLA-DP • HLA-DQ • HLA-DR • How is a person’s HLA type determined? • First, a blood sample is obtained. • Leukocytes (a type of white blood cell with clearly identifiable HLA marke
