Getting Cells from the Blood If you are going to have an autologous transplant , immature blood cells can be obtained from your blood by repeated separating (apheresis) procedures. This involves drawing blood into an apparatus that works like a cream separator. The same type of cells obtained by needle aspiration are collected and the remainder returned to you. The procedure has to be repeated several times to get enough cells for transplantation. Each procedure usually lasts two to four hours. The number of immature cells in the blood might also be increased by the administration of various chemicals, allowing more rapid collection.
