Immunomagnetic Purging is a process used in medicine to remove unwanted cells from blood or bone marrow. The word is pronounced as /ɪˌmjuːnəʊmæɡˈnɛtɪk ˈpɜːdʒɪŋ/ where "immuno" indicates the immune system, "magnetic" refers to the use of magnetic beads, and "purging" means removing unwanted cells. The correct spelling of the word is essential to ensure accurate communication between healthcare professionals. This technique has proven to be highly effective in improving outcomes for patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Immunomagnetic purging refers to a technique used in medical and laboratory settings to selectively remove specific unwanted cells or contaminants from a sample, through the use of magnetic particles and specific antibodies. This process is primarily employed in the field of cellular therapy and stem cell transplantation to remove malignant or diseased cells from a bone marrow or blood sample, prior to the transplantation procedure.
The process of immunomagnetic purging involves the attachment of magnetic particles to specific antibodies that have been designed to recognize and bind to the target cells or contaminants within the sample. Once the antibodies have attached to their desired targets, an external magnetic field is applied to the sample, causing the magnetic particles to clump together. The clumped particles, along with the bound target cells, can then be easily separated from the remaining sample using a magnetic separator device.
By employing immunomagnetic purging, medical professionals and researchers can effectively remove unwanted cell populations or contaminants that could potentially compromise the safety and efficacy of a transplantation procedure. This technique can greatly reduce the risk of disease recurrence or complications associated with transplants, as it selectively removes the specific cells or contaminants of concern while preserving the desired cell population for transplantation.
Immunomagnetic purging has revolutionized cell therapy and stem cell transplantation by allowing the isolation of healthy cells and removal of potentially harmful elements, enhancing the safety and effectiveness of these procedures.
The word "Immunomagnetic Purging" is a combination of three parts: immunological, magnetic, and purging.
1. Immunological: The term "immunological" relates to immunology, which is the branch of biology that deals with the study of the immune system. It comes from the Latin word "immunis", meaning exempt or free, and the Greek word "logos", meaning study or science.
2. Magnetic: The term "magnetic" refers to magnetism, the property of certain materials that attract or repel other materials. It comes from the Greek word "magnētis lithos", which means Magnesian stone, a naturally magnetic mineral found in the region of Magnesia in ancient Greece.
3. Purging: "Purging" refers to the process of removing or eliminating something unwanted or impure.