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.
Leukaemia Research Fund Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London.
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Gordon
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