How Is a Compatible Donor Found? Global MPN Webinar with REDMO Now Available
Dr. Alejandra Martínez Trillo explains the journey from donor search to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
How is a compatible donor found for a transplant? What happens from the moment the search begins until the cells reach the patient?
These were some of the questions explored during the latest Global MPN Scientific Foundation webinar, dedicated to bone marrow donation and the work of REDMO, the Spanish Bone Marrow Donor Registry of the Josep Carreras Foundation.
The session featured Dr. Alejandra Martínez Trillo, a hematologist from the REDMO management team, who guided participants through the process from the donor perspective and explained several complex concepts in an accessible way.
▶️ Watch the full webinar
CD34, HLA and compatibility
The webinar explored hematopoietic progenitor cells, commonly identified through the CD34 marker. These cells have the ability to generate the different types of blood cells and are used in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Dr. Martínez Trillo also explained the HLA system, one of the key factors used to determine compatibility between a donor and a recipient.
The search may begin within the patient's family. When a suitable donor cannot be found there, national and international registries allow transplant teams to search among millions of registered donors worldwide.
The international network coordinated through the World Marrow Donor Association currently includes around 44 million donor records and more than 750,000 cord blood units, connecting registries and transplant centres across the world.
How are stem cells donated?
The webinar also explained the two main ways hematopoietic stem cells can be collected.
One is through peripheral blood, using an apheresis procedure to collect the required cells. The other involves collecting cells directly from the bone marrow in an operating room.
The session also covered quality controls, international standards and the complex coordination required to transport the cells safely to the transplant centre.
What does transplantation mean for people living with MPN?
Not everyone living with a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) will need a transplant.
However, for selected patients, particularly in certain cases of myelofibrosis, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may become part of the treatment options considered by the medical team.
The conversation also highlighted how patient organizations, families and people close to the MPN community can help by sharing reliable information about donation and encouraging eligible people to learn more about becoming registered donors.
REDMO now includes more than half a million active donors in Spain and is part of this international search and coordination network.
This content is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The decision to undergo transplantation depends on each patient's individual situation and must always be evaluated by their hematology team.
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Together, we can help make reliable information more accessible to people living with MPN and their families.
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