Stem cells and the microenvironment in aplastic anaemia.
Normal blast colony-forming cells (BI-CFC) bind to stroma cultured in the presence of methylprednisolone (MP+) but not to MP- stroma. In aplastic marrow, the incidence of BI-CFC is variable (0-4 x normal values) and there is no consistent relationship with the CFU-GM (granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cell) content. Normal stroma require MP to induce BI-CFC binding function and form fat cells whereas MP- stroma grown from 4/9 aplastic patients formed fat cells and bound BI-CFC. The 5/9 aplastic cases that did not form fat cells spontaneously also bound BI-CFC moderately better than normal stroma. This suggests that the haemopoietic microenvironment in aplastic anaemia responds physiologically to bone marrow failure by increasing its haemopoietic support capacity.
Gordon
M Y
MY
Leukaemia Research Fund Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London.
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000473:pathology; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology
D008775:Methylprednisolone