title: Circulating hematopoietic progenitor cells in patients affected by Chornobyl accident.
abstract: High radiation sensitivity of stem cells and their ability to accumulate sublethal radiation damage provides the basis for investigation of hematopoietic progenitors using in vivo culture methodology. Unique samples of peripheral blood and bone marrow were derived from the patients affected by Chornobyl accident during liquidation campaign.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate functional activity of circulating hematopoietic progenitor cells from peripheral blood and bone marrow of cleanup workers in early and remote periods after the accident at Chornobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  The assessment of the functional activity of circulating hematopoietic progenitor cells was performed in samples of peripheral blood and bone marrow of 46 cleanup workers, who were treated in the National Scientific Center for Radiation Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine alongside with 35 non radiated patients, who served as a control. Work was performed by culturing peripheral blood and bone marrow mononuclear cells in the original gel diffusion capsules, implanted into the peritoneal cavity of CBA mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was shown that hematopoietic progenitor cells could be identified in the peripheral blood of liquidators of CNPP accident. At the same time the number of functionally active progenitor cells of the bone marrow was significantly decreased and during the next 10 years after the accident, counts of circulating progenitor cells in the peripheral blood as well as functionally active hematopoietic cells in bone marrow returned to normal levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was shown that hematopoietic progenitor cells are detected not only in the bone marrow but also in the peripheral blood of liquidators as a consequence of radiation exposure associated with CNPP accident. This article is a part of a Special Issue entitled "The Chornobyl Nuclear Accident: Thirty Years After".
authors.affiliation: National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy", Kyiv 04655, Ukraine.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Bilko
authors.affiliation: State Institution «National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine of National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», Kyiv 04050, Ukraine.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Dyagil
authors.affiliation: National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy", Kyiv 04655, Ukraine.
authors.forename: I Z
authors.initials: IZ
authors.lastname: Russu
authors.affiliation: National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy", Kyiv 04655, Ukraine.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Bilko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011829:Radiation Dosage