title: Development of natural killer cells from lymphohematopoietic progenitors of murine fetal liver.
abstract: We established a clonal culture system which supports the growth of murine immature natural killer (NK) cells. When we plated day 14 fetal thymocytes in methylcellulose media containing interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-7 and steel factor (SF), we observed diffuse colonies which could not be classified into known colony types. Cells in the colonies were blast-like and expressed Thy-1 and CD25 but not lineage-specific markers. Cells in the colonies developed into NK1.1+ cells in fetal thymus organ culture indicating that the colonies consist of immature NK cells. We then examined the colony-forming ability of fetal liver cells. The combination of IL-2, IL-7 and SF with or without IL-11 supported formation of few immature NK cell colonies from purified progenitors. Interestingly, addition of IL-11 to the culture stimulated formation of mixed colonies consisting of immature NK cells, B cells, macrophages and/or mast cells. The clonal origin of the mixed NK cell colonies was confirmed by micromanipulation of the colony-forming cells. This culture assay should facilitate the analysis of the pathway and cytokine regulation of NK cell development.
authors.affiliation: Ralph H. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston,USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aiba
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017370:Interleukin-11 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D017370:Interleukin-11; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015851:Interleukin-7; D011994:Recombinant Proteins