Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A bone marrow transplant is a medical procedure that replaces damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. It is often used to treat certain cancers and disorders of the blood and immune system.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Bone marrow transplants are classified into two types: autologous (using the patient's own cells) and allogeneic (using donor cells).
The success of an allogeneic transplant heavily depends on the compatibility between donor and recipient, often determined by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching.
Bone marrow transplants can be used to treat severe immunodeficiencies such as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and other genetic disorders.
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a significant risk in allogeneic transplants, where the donated cells attack the recipient's body.
Conditioning regimens involving chemotherapy or radiation are typically performed before the transplant to destroy diseased cells and suppress the immune system.
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Related terms
Autologous Transplant: A type of bone marrow transplant using the patient's own stem cells.
Allogeneic Transplant: A type of bone marrow transplant using stem cells from a donor.
Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD): A condition where donated bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells attack the recipient's body.