Theoretical, methodological and clinical aspects of the growth of granulopoietic cells in agar culture]

Haematopoietic stem cells are capable of developing colonies of differentiated granulocytes in a semi-stable agar environment under corresponding experimental conditions. Number and size of aggregations developing from a single stem cell in each case called "in culture Colony Forming Unit (CFU-c)" enable conclusions to be made about the functional ability of the cultivated human or animal bone marrow. The method is applied in investigating the kinetics in the haematopoietic system and, in addition, it is used for diagnostics, therapy and control of the course in haematological diseases as well as to check the proliferous ability of cryopreserved bone marrow cells. As to the standardization of the procedure the instability of the active principle of the foetal calf serum as well as the essential colony stimulating factor represent limiting items at present.     

ANALYSIS OF PROLIFERATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF FOETAL GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE PROGENITOR CELLS IN HAEMOPOIETIC TISSUE*

Analysis of in vitro colony formation in agar cultures of foetal haemopoietic tissues of eight mammalian species has shown that granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells are present in foetal liver, yolk sac, marrow and spleen in numbers approaching the incidence in adult marrow. Such characteristics as buoyant density, growth rate and differentiation served to distinguish foetal from adult colony forming cells (CFCs). Cell cycle analysis performed by exposing haemopoietic cells to high doses of tritiated thymidine in vitro showed that foetal CFC proliferation in species of short gestation (rabbit, rat, mouse) approached or exceeded that observed in adult marrow. In contrast, in species of long gestation (human, monkey, calf, lamb, guinea-pig) a period of variable duration was observed when foetal liver CFCs entered a non-cycling G₀ or blocked G₁ phase. In these species foetal liver CFCs were found to be proliferating actively early in gestation and following the non-cycling phase again re-entered a proliferative state associated with onset of active granulopoiesis in foetal marrow and possible migration of CFC from liver to marrow. These results indicate the existence of granulocyte-macrophage progenitor populations displaying foetal characteristics and adapted to particular stages of haemopoietic development, a situation which closely parallels that reported for erythropoiesis.     

小鼠胚胎干细胞来源的HPP-CFC体外和体内造血活性分析

小鼠的造血系统起源于胚胎发育7d的卵黄囊胚外中胚层,研究表明胚胎干细胞（Embryonic stem cells, ES cells）体外分化模型能够模拟卵黄囊造血的发生过程;此外,诱导ES细胞体外定向造血细胞分化对于建立治疗性克隆以治愈多种血液病具有重要的研究和应用价值。高增殖潜能集落形成细胞（High proliferative potential colonyforming cells, HPPCFC）是体外培养的最原始的多潜能造血前体细胞之一。本研究发现：小鼠ES细胞在体外分化5～14d形成的拟胚体中含有HPP-CFC。其再生潜能与胚胎期9d的卵黄囊来源的HPP-CFC相似,与骨髓来源则不同。RT-PCR分析表明：ES细胞来源的HPP-CFC表达与造血干细胞增殖相关的特异性转录因子和多种造血生长因子受体。但分化12d的拟胚体细胞和HPP-CFC集落细胞移植受致死剂量照射的小鼠不能产生典型的脾结节。因此,ES细胞来源的HPP-CFC在体外和体内造血活性的差异值得更深入地研究。     

KINETIC PROPERTIES OF HAEMOPOIETIC STEM CELLS

A comparison of the exocolonizing and autorepopulating tests for haemopoietic stem-cell assay indicate that the ‘overshoot’in splenic colony formation, observed 12–14 days after 150 rad total-body radiation (TBR), only occurs with the auto-repopulation assay. The explanation is that the priming dose of 150 rad increases the absolute seeding rate of stem cells from the marrow. A seeding rate significantly greater than normal can ‘take’only if the spleen is available—it can expand and accommodate stem cells while the bone marrow cannot. If, however, the absolute number of colony-forming cells are decreased in the femur, a relative increase in seeding rate can take place even in the splenectomized animal. Evidence is presented concerning the different turnover states of exo- and autorepopulating stem cells (CFU) and those responsible for erythropoietic response (ERC), and the precursors of agar colony-formers.     

THE PROLIFERATIVE STATE OF GRANULOCYTIC PROGENITOR CELLS IN HUMAN BLOOD AND MARROW

A double layer agar technique was used to investigate the proliferative state of granulocytic progenitor cells (Colony Forming Units in Culture; CFUc) in human peripheral blood and bone marrow. The sensitivity of the progenitor cells to the S-phase specific agent, hydroxyurea, was used as an index of the proportion of cells engaged in DNA synthesis. In the presence of low concentrations of colony stimulating factor (CSF) the CFUc were found to be virtually insensitive to the drug. However, when cultured in the presence of increasing concentrations of CSF the proportion of CFUc apparently killed by hydroxyurea increased to a maximum of 23% for those cells in the blood and 39% for those in the marrow. The results indicate that CFUc which are slowly proliferating are sensitive to low concentrations of CSF. In contrast, those CFUc which are proliferating more rapidly require high concentrations of CSF before they will form colonies in culture. A model has been devised which suggests that as CFUc mature, their cell cycle time shortens and their sensitivity to CSF decreases.     

STIMULATION OF HAEMOPOIETIC COLONY FORMATION BY ANTILYMPHOCYTE SERUM

Stimulation of endogenous and exogenous colony formation by antilymphocyte serum has been observed. The effect of ALS on endocolonization is associated with promotion of CFU recirculation. ALS-induced stimulation of exocolonization was observed only with adult bone marrow cells of normal mice. ALS caused no effect on colony formation induced by embryonic liver cells or rapidly proliferating haemopoietic cells of early radiation chimeras. ALS did not cause an increase either in the content of CFU in the spleen or in their proliferating fraction. It is assumed that the ALS effect is exerted on the microenvironment and not directly on the CFU, as the result of which short-range regulation of haemopoietic stem cell changes.     

HAEMOPOIETIC STEM CELL (CFU) KINETICS IN THE CULTURE

Haemopoiesis continued for over 2 months in organ culture of embryonal mouse liver, and haemopoietic stem cells (CFU_s) capable of DNA-synthesis were found in it all that time. Between the 10th and 40th day the number of stem cells in the culture was sustained in a steady state. Both in normal and in regenerating adult bone marrow haemopoiesis ceased within a short time in the culture. Induction of proliferation in haemopoietic stem cells combined with undamaged or improved micro-environment resulted in a little better maintenance of CFU_s in the adult bone marrow culture, The results are discussed in the light of current concepts of haemopoietic stem cell regulation.     

Different recovery patterns of mouse haemopoietic stem cells in response to cytotoxic agents

The response and subsequent recovery of mouse haemopoietic progenitor cells (spleen colony forming cells and agar colony forming cells) has been studied following two cytotoxic agents. Busulphan was administered to normal mice and vinblastine to mice where the progenitor cell proliferation rate had been increased by a period of continuous γ-irradiation. With both these agents there is a difference between the response of the spleen colony forming cells and the agar colony forming cells during the first five days. They then recover together, but much more slowly after busulphan than after vinblastine even though their proliferation rate is increased. The rate of progenitor cell recovery after busulphan is increased if the progenitor cells are depleted further by vinblastine. However, methotrexate, which severely depletes the peripheral blood count and bone marrow cellularity but not the progenitor cells, has no effect on the recovery following busulphan. These results suggest that following cytotoxic agents the agar colony forming cells (“committed” stem cells) are not self-maintaining but are dependent on a supply of cells from the pluripotential spleen colony forming cells. In addition it appears that the depletion of the progenitor cells of the bone marrow and not the depletion of the maturing cells, provides a stimulus for stem cell recovery.     

CFU-C YIELDS FROM THE HAEMOPOIETIC TISSUES OF NORMAL AND LEUKAEMIC RFM MICE

Spleen and bone marrow cells from normal and leukaemic RFM mice have been assayed for numbers of colony forming cells in soft agar (CFU-C). The fluctuations in CFU-C yield observed during the development of myeloid leukaemia are similar to the results from in vitro experiments set up to test a model, and are not incompatible with the idea that interaction between normal and leukaemic cells may modify the yield of CFU-C under the present conditions of culture. Colonies grown from leukaemic spleen and bone marrow cells appear to be derived from the residual population of normal haemopoietic cells within the leukaemic mouse.     

Studies on colony formation in vitro by mouse bone marrow cells. II. Action of colony stimulating factor

An analysis was made of some of the processes involved in the stimulation by colony stimulating factor (CSF) of cluster and colony formation by mouse bone marrow cells in agar cultures in vitro. Colony formation was shown to be related to the concentration and not the total amount of CSF. The concentration of CSF determined the rate of new cluster initiation in cultures and the rate of growth of individual clusters. Colony growth depleted the medium of CSF suggesting that colony cells may utilise CSF during proliferation. Bone marrow cells incubated in agar in the absence of CSF rapidly died or lost their capacity to proliferate and form clusters or colonies. CSF appears (a) to be necessary for survival of cluster-and colony-forming cells or for survival of their proliferative potential, (b) to shorten the lag period before individual cells commence proliferation and (c) to increase the growth rate of individual clusters and colonies.     

AGE DEPENDENCE OF THE NUMBER OF THE STEM CELLS IN HAEMOPOIETIC TISSUES OF RATS

The number and concentration of haemopoietic stem cells in the femoral bone marrow and spleen of Wistar rats of different ages were investigated. Stem cells were assayed by the spleen colony technique in irradiated rat recipients. The ability of the recipient spleen to harvest transplanted tissue as a macroscopic colony was found to be dependent on the recipient's age. Changes with senescence were observed also in the concentration and the size of the stem cell compartment both in the marrow and spleen. No differences were demonstrated in the seeding of transplanted colony-forming units into the spleen of recipients of 1 and 4 months of age. A rats-mice strain difference in the effect of senescence on the haemopoietic stem cells is discussed.     

锂对小鼠高增殖潜能集落形成细胞和粒巨噬系祖细胞体外增殖的影响

本文观察了锂对ＢＡＬＢ／Ｃ小鼠骨髓高增殖潜能集落形成细胞（ＨＰＰ－ＣＦＣ）和粒巨噬系祖细胞ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ体外增殖的影响。ＨＰＰ－ＣＦＣ集落由ＩＬ－１、ＩＬ－６、ＷＥＨＩ３条件培养液（ＷＥＨＩ３－ＣＭ,含有ＩＬ－３）及Ｌ９２９条件培养液（Ｌ９２９－ＣＭ,含有Ｍ－ＣＳＦ）所支持,而ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ由ＷＥＨＩ３－ＣＭ所支持。结果显示,ＬｉＣｌ浓度在０．４－２ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ时呈现剂量依赖性抑制ＨＰＰ－ＣＦＣ增殖;而在０．４－１ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ的浓度范围内,则对ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ的增殖起剂量依赖性促进作用。这些结果提示ＬｉＣｌ对ＨＰＰ－ＣＦＣ和ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ的作用不同,可能锂有诱导ＨＰＰ－ＣＦＣ向成熟细胞分化的作用     

DEFECT OF ERYTHROPOIESIS IN NON-LEUKAEMIC AKR MICE

The kinetics of the CFU population and of erythropoiesis were investigated in the AKR strain mouse prior to the onset of thymic leukaemias: haemopoiesis was compared in syngeneic AKR, semi-allogenic C3H and (C3H x AKR) F, mice injected with AKR stem cells. These experiments demonstrate that the reduction in the number of spleen colonies previously described by Perkins et al. (1971) in syngeneic hosts, as compared to semi-allogenic C3H hosts, is actually related to defective erythropoiesis resulting from a dysfunction of the AKR haemopoietic inductive microenvironment (HIM). Erythropoietin secretion is normal in AKR mice. the early haemopoietic events related to the stem cell: lodgement of the CFU (‘f’ factor) and doubling time, are not disturbed, but the onset of CFU proliferation is markedly delayed in the AKR strain. the main expression of the AKR HIM dysfunction is a significant reduction in the number of erythroid (E) colonies and an impaired output of red blood cells per E-colony in the syngeneic host as compared to the allogenic one. In addition, data indicate that a weakly histo-incompatible system, such as that in C3H and hybrid hosts, does not interfere with the stages of haemopoiesis except by lengthening the doubling time of the CFU. the results, on the whole, emphasize the prevalent influence of HIM.     

Quantification of metabolically active biomass using Methylene Blue dye Reduction Test (MBRT): measurement of CFU in about 200 s

Quantification of viable cells is a critical step in almost all biological experiments. Despite its importance, the methods developed so far to differentiate between viable and non-viable cells suffer from major limitations such as being time intensive, inaccurate and expensive. Here, we present a method to quantify viable cells based on reduction of methylene blue dye in cell cultures. Although the methylene blue reduction method is well known to check the bacterial load in milk, its application in the quantification of viable cells has not been reported. We have developed and standardized this method by monitoring the dye reduction rate at each time point for growth of Escherichia coli. The standard growth curve was monitored using this technique. The Methylene Blue dye Reduction Test (MBRT) correlates very well with Colony Forming Units (CFU) up to a 800 live cells as established by plating. The test developed is simple, accurate and fast (200 s) as compared to available techniques. We demonstrate the utility of the developed assay to monitor CFU rapidly and accurately for E. coli, Bacillus subtilis and a mixed culture of E. coli and B. subtilis. This assay, thus, has a wide applicability to all types of aerobic organisms.     

Haemopoiesis in mice genetically lacking granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor during chronic infection with Mycobacterium avium

In order to test the role of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in haemopoiesis during chronic infection, mice with a targeted disruption of the gene for GM-CSF were infected intraperitoneally with the facultative intracellular pathogen, Mycobacterium avium. The bacteria spread to lungs, liver and spleen and persisted for more than 10 weeks at levels between 105 and 106 CFU. Bacterial numbers did not differ significantly between infected GM-CSF-/- and wild-type mice, making this an excellent model in which to study the effects of GM-CSF deficiency on haemopoietic cells without complications of interpretation relating to differences in bacterial load. Haemopoietic colony forming cells (CFC) in the bone marrow of GM-CSF-/- mice before infection were not different from wild-type. However, whereas CFC in wild-type mice increased 1.5-fold with infection, GM-CSF-/- mice were unable to increase their CFC and numbers were significantly lower than in infected wild-type mice. Cells attracted to the peritoneal cavity of the GM-CSF-/- mice following i.p. injection of bacteria were notably lacking in the large, granular macrophages of activated appearance, which were a feature in wild-type mice. Nitric oxide production by peritoneal cells from GM-CSF-/- mice was deficient. Thus, GM-CSF is not critical for haemopoiesis during chronic infection, but in its absence the mice are unable to increase their output of haemopoietic cells and there are deficiencies in macrophage activation.     

Dual biological function of a T-cell-derived murine immunoenhancing factor.

Murine enhancing factor (MEF), derived from the culture fluid of mixtures of histoincompatible spleen cells, was found to have two apparently different, but perhaps closely related, biological activities. First, MEF can functionally replace T cells in nonspecifically augmenting the anti-sheep erythrocyte plaque-forming cell response of T-cell-depleted, mouse splenic B-cell cultures. Second, the mediator acts similarly to colony stimulating factor from human urine in promoting the formation of colony-forming units (CFU) in soft agar bone marrow cell cultures. This latter function of MEF was manifest in the absence of detectable increases in the level of incorporation of [³H]thymidine by cultured bone marrow cells. Morphologically, the cells comprising the CFU were macrophage-like in appearance. The data suggest that MEF may function as a differentiation signal for the maturation of antigen-activated B lymphocytes into immunoglobulin-secreting cells, as well as for the modulation of hematopoietic or granulopoietic macrophage stem cells into mature, functional macrophages.     

A Method For Measuring the Generation Time and Length of Dna Synthesizing Phase of Clonogenic Cells In A Heterogenous Population

Information on the cell cycle of progenitor cells in haemopoietic tissue is useful for understanding population control under physiological and abnormal conditions. Unfortunately, methods that have been developed for measuring cell cycle parameters are applicable only to cells of homogenous populations and not to morphologically non-recognizable progenitor cells such as colony forming units (CFU) that are present at low frequency in a heterogenous population. to circumvent this difficulty, a method was developed to measure CFU cell cycle parameters based on specific killing of cells in S phase by [³H]thymidine ([³H]TdR). This was done by estimating the number of CFU killed following exposure of the cell suspension to [³H]TdR for various time periods. Since cycling CFU are continuously entering S phase, a linear curve relating the percentage CFU-kill to the length of exposure of the cells to [³H]TdR in culture can be obtained. the slope of the curve (percentage kill/hr) indicates the rate that CFU enter the S phase and travel through the cell cycle. the inverse of this value will then represent a time period for CFU to move through a complete cell cycle (generation time). the length of S phase can then be obtained by multiplying generation time by the fraction of cells in S phase at time zero. This method has been used to measure generation time and length of S phase of three kinds of haemopoietic progenitor cells: mouse granulocyte-macrophage CFU, human T lymphocyte CFU and CFU from regenerating mouse spleens. This method should be applicable to any normal or neoplastic clonogenic cell populations and the latter could be either of haematological or of solid tumour origin.     

The effect of endotoxin on murine stem cells

Previous studies showed that after 5 μg of Salmonella typhosa endotoxin there was an increase in colony stimulating factor temporally related to a fall in murine marrow in vitro colony forming cells (CFC). This was followed by differentiation along the marrow granulocytic pathway. The present studies showed that after 5 μg of endotoxin the peripheral blood CFC fell by approximately 50% at one hour, rose to a level ten fold that of control at six hours and then returned to control values by 48 hours. There was a progressive increase in the number of splenic CFC to ten fold that of control from 24 to 72 hours after endotoxin. These data imply a migration of CFC from the marrow to the spleen along with an in-situ increase in splenic CFC. Thus, either migration or differentiation may explain the fall in marrow CFC after endotoxin. Spleen colony forming units (CFU) in the marrow were measured by a transplantation technique and the transplantation fraction (f Fx) determined. A decrease in marrow CFU at 24 hours after endotoxin was secondary to a change in the f Fx. from 11.1% to 7.6%. There was however, an increased percentage of CFU in DNA synthesis in the interval of 6–48 hours after endotoxin, as judged by the hydroxyurea technique. As the marrow CFC fell within 20 minutes of endotoxin administration, the data suggest the CFC may be affected initially and that changes in the generative cycle of the CFU may be of a secondary nature.     

Tissue sources of bone marrow colony stimulating factor

Possible tissue sources in C57BL mice of the serum factor stimulating colony formation in vitro by mouse bone marrow cells have been investigated. A reproducible technique employing batch chromatography on calcium phosphate gel was developed for the extraction and assay of material with colony stimulating activity from mouse tissues. Sixteen hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic tissues from C57BL mice were found to vary widely in their content of extractable activity. Characterisation of the colony stimulating factors (CSF's) from these tissues by assay of stepped concentrations of eluate showed that CSF's from most tissues were similar in chromatographic behavior, but all differed significantly from those of serum in being both more disperse and more firmly bound to calcium phosphate gel. Male submaxillary salivary gland gave the richest yield of CSF. CSF from this source displayed a greater dispersity on and affinity to calcium phosphate, a lower electrophoretic mobility and a smaller average sedimentation coefficient than that from any other source investigated. Colony morphology appeared to be identical for all tissue sources investigated.     

THE ROLE OF ERYTHROPOIETIN IN REGULATION OF POPULATION SIZE AND CELL CYCLING OF EARLY AND LATE ERYTHROID PRECURSORS IN MOUSE BONE MARROW

This study was designed to determine the stage in haemopoietic cell differentiation from multipotential stem cells at which erythropoietin becomes physiologically important. The responses of haemopoietic precursor cells were monitored in the bone marrow of mice under conditions of high (after bleeding) and low (after hypertransfusion) ambient erythropoietin levels. The number of relatively mature erythroid precursors (CFU-E), detected by erythroid colony formation after 2 days of culture, increased three-fold in marrow by the fourth day after bleeding, and decreased three-fold after hypertransfusion. Assessed by sensitivity to killing by a brief exposure to tritiated thymidine (³H-TdR) in vitro, the proliferative activity of CFU-E was high (75% kill) in untreated and bled animals, and was slightly lower (60% kill) after hypertransfusion. The responses of more primitive erythroid progenitors (BFU-E), detected by erythroid colony formation after 10 days in culture, presented a contrasting pattern. After hypertransfusion they increased slightly, while little change was noted until the fourth day after bleeding, when they decreased in the marrow. The same response pattern was observed for the progenitors (CFU-C) detected by granulocyte/macrophage colony formation in culture. The sensitivity of BFU-E to ³H-TdR was normally 30%, and neither increased after bleeding nor decreased after hypertransfusion. However, in regenerating marrow the ³H-TdR sensitivity of BFU-E increased to 63%, and this increase was not affected by hypertransfusion. These results are interpreted as indicating (1) that physiological levels of erythropoietin do not influence the decision by multipotential haemopoietic stem cells to differentiate along the erythroid pathway as opposed to the granulocyte/macrophage pathway; (2) that early erythroid-committed progenitors themselves do not respond to these levels of erythropoietin, but rather are subject to regulation by erythropoietin-independent mechanisms; and (3) that physiological regulation by erythropoietin commences in cells at a stage of maturation intermediate between BFU-E and CFU-E.