Studies on the proliferative capacity of the in vitro colony forming cell in normal human bone marrow
Rickard, K.A.; Brown, R.D.; Kronenberg, H.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine 3(4): 361-370
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-8291 PMID: 4519123 Document Number: 68259
The agar colony system which assays a committed myeloid stem cell compartment in murine marrow has been applied to the study of human bone marrow. The linear relationship between the number of nucleated marrow cells plated and the number of colonies obtained, together with the number and type of cells in the colonies is explored. The colony forming cell (CFC) in normal human bone marrow, when its cell cycle characteristics are explored in vitro using radioactive thymidine, has been shown to arise from a precursor compartment which is actively proliferating. On this basis there is a similarity with the murine system and it is postulated that the Cfc in man monitors the committed myeloid stem cell compartment. Normal values have been established for the concentration of Cfc and for thymidine kill in normal human bone marrow cell suspensions under our conditions of growth. The value of the system for the quantitation of granulopoiesis at the myeloid stem cell level in man is emphasised and its possible role in the study of neutropenia is discussed.