This Core is responsible for the collection of peripheral blood, serum, and bone marrow from patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, multiple myeloma, smoldering multiple myeloma, and primary systemic amyloidosis. All serum and urine electrophoretic patterns which are performed are personally scanned by one of the consultants working in the Special Protein Laboratory. Those with a suspicion of a monoclonal protein on the cellulose acetate strip are identified, and if the patient has not previously been recognized, immunoelectrophoresis or immunofixation is done. The patient's physician is notified of the result by telephone. All returning patients are identified so that other laboratory studies can be obtained. Serum, urine, peripheral blood, and bone marrow cells are collected and stored for further studies as well as a resource for other activities. The Cell Kinetics Laboratory will serve as a center for acquisition and distribution of cells for the Program Project. The central acquisition of cells assures that all laboratories (Projects II, III, and IV) receive an adequate number of cells for study. The Cell Bank is a centralized facility for the accession, distribution, and cryopreservation of cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood of patients with MGUS, multiple myeloma, primary amyloidosis, and related disorders.
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