alpha-Fetoprotein production and erythropoiesis in cell cultures of human fetal liver.
alpha-Fetoprotein and the synthesis of heme associated with hemoglobin were measured simultaneously in short-term cultures of human fetal liver cells to correlate the relationship of alpha-fetoprotein to erythroid cell function. Both synthetic processes decreased exponentially during the first 5 days of culture. The use of media supplemented with different batches of fetal calf serum and porcine portal vein serum indicated that the optimal conditions for the production of alpha-fetoprotein were different from those required for the synthesis of heme associated with hemoglobin. Moreover, the alpha-fetoprotein-producing cells could be separated from erythroid cells after velocity sedimentation in Ficoll gradients. Although it is well known that erythropoiesis and alpha-fetoprotein production occur simultaneously during ontogenesis, alpha-fetoprotein itself (0.01-100 micron g/ml) did not stimulate heme synthesis in liver erythroid cells. Erythropoietin did not stimulate alpha-fetoprotein production. It is concluded that there is no cause-effect relationship between alpha-fetoprotein production and erythroid cell fuction in human fetal liver cells and that the two processes occur independently in different cell types.
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006418:Heme / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D006418:Heme; D004247:DNA