Rat stem cell factor and IL-6 preferentially support the proliferation of c-kit-positive murine hemopoietic cells rather than their differentiation.
We have investigated the effect of stem cell factor (SCF) alone and in combination with interleukin-3 (IL-3) or interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the proliferation and maintenance of primitive hemopoietic progenitor cells. Results from liquid preculture of either unfractionated bone marrow cells or lineage (Lin)-c-kit+ cells indicates that the combination of SCF + IL-3 results in the greatest expansion of total nucleated cell numbers; however, the combination of SCF + IL-6 results in the greatest expansion of colony-forming cells in culture (CFU-C) and in spleen (CFU-S). Morphologic examination confirmed the increase in immature cells after culture with SCF + IL-6 and, therefore, this combination is deemed superior for the expansion of primitive cells in liquid culture. Reconstitution assays using congenic mice (Ly5) revealed that cultured cells in the presence of SCF + IL-6 contained stem cells that were capable of reconstituting the hemopoiesis in lethally irradiated mice. Although it remains unclear whether SCF + IL-6 directly supports the self-renewal of stem cells, SCF + IL-6 is a powerful tool for manipulating primitive hemopoietic cells in vitro.
Miura
N
N
Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
Okada
S
S
Zsebo
K M
KM
Miura
Y
Y
Suda
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D051381:Rats; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D007377:Interleukin-3; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit