The invention pertains to methods and devices for the long term, in
vitroculture of hematopoietic progenitor cells in the absence of
exogenously added hematopoietic growth factors, improved methods for the
introduction of foreign genetic material into cells of hematopoietic
origin, and to apparatus for performing these methods. The hematopoietic
progenitor cells are cultured on a three-dimensional porous biomaterial.
The three-dimensional porous biomaterial enhances hematopoietic
progenitor cell survival and leads to an expansion of progenitor cell
numbers and/or functionality, while maintaining progenitor cell
pluripotency in the absence of exogenous growth factors. In addition, the
three-dimensional porous biomaterial supports high level transduction on
cells cultured upon such environment.