title: Functional changes in marrow stromal cells in aplastic anaemia.
abstract: To determine whether or not abnormalities exist in the bone marrow stroma in aplastic anaemia, we analysed the ability of marrow stromal cells to support haemopoiesis using a long-term culture system. Marrow stromal cell layers from 3 of 9 patients with this disorder failed to maintain granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells in vitro. The stromal dysfunction was reversible in 1 patient who recovered after androgen therapy. The results of the present study add to the available evidence for a functional defect of marrow microenvironments in some cases of aplastic anaemia.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002470:Cell Survival; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged