Identification of nonadherent mononuclear cells in human cord blood that differentiate into macrophages.
We describe a population of nonadherent cells in neonatal cord blood that, upon in vitro cultivation, develop into monocyte-macrophages. These cells initially are negative for nonspecific esterase cytoplasmic activity, lack the monocyte marker MO.2, fall into smaller, nonmonocytic cell size areas, as determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS)-assisted size analysis, and differentiate into macrophages under nonstimulatory culture conditions (in the absence of exogenous colony stimulating factors, less than 0.1 ng/ml endotoxin, and growth in suspension). In contrast to the adherent, committed macrophage precursors in cord blood, which differentiate into macrophages after 2-3 days of culture, the nonadherent precursor does not acquire monocyte-macrophage characteristics until day 14 of culture. Earlier induction is achieved by adding the monocyte-activating agents lipopolysaccharide or 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 to cultures.
Department of Pathology, State University of New York at Stony Brook 11794.
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Santiago-Schwarz
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Fleit
D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology*; D009757:Nylons
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009757:Nylons; D002117:Calcitriol