家族性骨髓细胞非随机染色体丢失与白血病发生

通过对２２３例恶性血液病骨髓细胞Ｒ带染色体核型分析并以１０５的发型血小板减少性癜（ＩＴＰ）为对照,取得如下结果：（１）早先发现于白血病家系受累成员的骨髓细胞非随机染色体丢失如－１１、－１４、２１等亦可见于３０％左右散发性ＡＮＬＬ和ＭＤＳ以及５０％左右的ＡＬＬ,特别是ＣＬＬ每例均可发现此类异常,而不见于免疫病ＩＴＰ〈从而说明它们与恶性血液病发病盯关,（２）由于ＣＬＬ可以发展为ＡＬＬ和ＡＮＬＬ,甚至其     

玉米CMS材料线粒体DNA遗传多型性的研究

选用１１×４＝４４个探针／酶组合,５０个（１０ｍｅｒ）随机序列引物对２５种不同胞质来源的ＣＭＳ玉米,５种正常胞质玉米线粒体ＤＮＡ进行ＲＦＬＰ和ＲＡＰＤ研究。研究结果表明：（１）４５％的探针／酶组合可检测到玉米线粒体ＤＮＡ的多型性,共表现１５种ＲＦＬＰ类型,其中Ｓ组ＣＭＳ材料内有７种,正常胞质材料内有２种;８０％的随机引物可检测到ＲＡＰＤ。（２）基于ＲＦＬＰ资料的聚类分析结果,可将３０种胞质明确地划分为Ｔ、Ｃ、Ｓ、Ｎ４组,其结果与恢复专效性测定结果一致。其中ｐＨＪ２－７－１／ＢａｍＨＩ的ＲＦＬＰ类型可成为利用ＲＦＬＰ技术进行胞质分组的鉴定体系。（３）“双”型胞质线粒体ＤＮＡ常表现Ｓ＋Ｃ胞质的ＲＦＬＰ图谱。     

二甲亚砜与维甲酸对人卵巢癌细胞COC1的生长抑制及转化生长因子β_1表达的影响

本实验以人卵巢癌细胞株（ＣＯＣ１）为模型,观察诱导分化剂二甲亚砜（ＤＭＳＯ）与维甲酸（ＲＡ）对该细胞生长增殖、ＤＮＡ合成和转化生长因子β１（ＴＧＦβ１）在细胞内表达的影响。结果显示：ＤＭＳＯ与ＲＡ对人卵巢细胞ＣＯＣ１生长有明显的抑制作用,生长曲线表明作用５天后其生长抑制率分别为６２．７％和４２．１％;３Ｈ－胸腺嘧啶核苷（３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ）掺入实验说明ＤＭＳＯ组与ＲＡ组的单位时间计数率（ＣＰＭ）明显低于对照组（Ｐ＜０．０１）。用药３天后百分掺入抑制率分别为６０．４％与３７．９％,表明ＤＭＳＯ与ＲＡ抑制ＣＯＣ１细胞的ＤＮＡ合成;免疫细胞化学反应表明,ＤＭＳＯ或ＲＡ处理５天后,对照组细胞ＴＧＦβ１表达为阳性,定位于胞浆,而处理组细胞ＴＧＦβ１呈阴性或弱阳性反应。以上结果提示ＤＭＳＯ和ＲＡ对人卵巢癌细胞有一定的诱导分化作用。     

HSP_(70)基因表达对高粱育性的影响(英文)

高粱细胞质雄性不育系３１９７Ａ（３Ａ）在常温条件下是不育的（Ｆｉｇｓ．１１＆２）,经热激（４５℃）诱导不同程度地恢复了育性（Ｆｉｇｓ．１３＆４）,为研究其不育机理提供了线索。热激２ｈ后,３Ａ中即可产生一类线粒体热激蛋白（ＨＳＰｓ）。其中,分子量为７０ｋＤ的ＨＳＰ７０含量最高,也最为稳定。不过,３Ａ中ＨＳＰｓ的稳定性弱于保持系３１９７Ｂ（３Ｂ）（Ｆｉｇ．２,Ｐａｎｅｌｓ１～４）。放线菌素Ｄ抑制ＨＳＰｓ的合成,而氯霉素无此作用（Ｆｉｇ．２,Ｐａｎｅｌｓ５＆６）,表明：ＨＳＰｓ是由核基因编码、在细胞质中合成、再跨膜转运到线粒体中的。３Ａ幼穗经热激后,线粒体的总蛋白量猛增了２．７倍（Ｆｉｇ．３）,达到３Ｂ的水平,育性亦变为可育的。Ｆｉｇ．４表明：ＨＳＰ７０反义链ｃＤＮＡ（Ｒ１）能进入到３Ｂ花药细胞中,并与靶ＲＮＡ（ＨＳＣ７０ｍＲＮＡ）结合,而对照、正义链ｃＤＮＡ（Ｄ）链无此反应。由此、再增加一个通用保守序列的反义链ｃＤＮＡ（Ｒ２）、共两个探针（Ｒ１、Ｒ２）,可以检测到：３Ａ在常温下没有能力合成ＨＳＣ７０ｍＲＮＡ（Ｆｉｇ．５）,而在热激条件下,转变为有能力（Ｆｉｇ．６）。启示：３Ａ在热激条件下由不育转变为可育     

乙型肝炎病人重叠感染丙型肝炎的评价

应用ＥＬＩＳＡ和ＰＣＲ法检测５０２例乙肝病人血清,４０１例ＨＢｓＡｇ阳性血清中,有１１４例（２８．４％）抗－ＨＣＶ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ双项阳性,２５例（６．２％）ＨＣＶＲＮＡ单项阳性;２１例（５．２％）抗－ＨＣＶ单项阳性。将ＨＢｓＡｇ乙肝病人分成ＨＢＶＤＮＡ,ＨＢｅＡｇ阳性组和ＨＢＶＤＮＡ,ＨＢｅＡｇ阴性组。前者抗－ＨＣＶ阳性率为１１．６％～２０．５％,ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性率为１６．２％～２０．５％。后者抗－ＨＣＶ阳性率为２０．２％～５５．６％,ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性率为２３％～６０．３％。结果说明长期携带ＨＢＶ者和慢性乙肝病人均可重叠ＨＣＶ感染。ＨＢＶＤＮＡ阳性组抗－ＨＣＶ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性率明显高于ＨＢＶＤＮＡ阳性组     

血管紧张素Ⅱ对大鼠心肌肌浆网Ca~(2+),Mg~(2+)-ATPase基因转录调节的影响

观察血管紧张素Ⅱ（ＡｎｇⅡ）对心肌肌浆网Ｃａ２＋,Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰａｓｅ基因（ＳＥＲＣＡ２ａ）转录调节的影响,评价ＤＭＰ８１１对此效应的干预作用．６周龄雄性ＳＤ大鼠随机分为３组,每组６只．组１：生理盐水输注;组２：ＡｎｇⅡ输注＋ＤＭＰ８１１管饲（３ｍｇ·ｄ－１·ｋｇ－１）;组３：ＡｎｇⅡ输注（２００ｎｇ·ｍｉｎ－１·ｋｇ－１．１周后称其体重,取心脏并称重,提取心脏总ＲＮＡ后采用Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ的方法检测ＳＥＲ－ＣＡ２ａ的转录水平,采用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ检测ＡｎｇⅡ１型受体（ＡＴ１）ｍＲＮＡ水平．实验后,组３心重（ＣＷ）、心重／体重（Ｃ／Ｂ）、ＡＴ１受体转录水平均高于组１（分别增加４．７±０．４％,４．９±０．９％和２４．７±３．５％;Ｐ＜０．０１）,而ＳＥＲＣＡ２ａ基因转录水平显著低于组１（降低２０．１±３．０％,Ｐ＜０．０１）,并且ＳＥＲＣＡ２ａｍＲＮＡ水平与ＡＴ１受体ｍＲＮＡ水平呈负相关（ｒ＝－０．７４,Ｐ＜０．０１）．ＡｎｇⅡ导致的上述改变能被ＤＭＰ８１１完全阻断．ＡｎｇⅡ通过其Ⅰ型受体的介导,诱导了ＳＥＲＣＡ２ａ的转录下调     

水稻的AFLP研究初报——反应条件的优化及对温敏核不育等位突变系的分析

通过对５４６０Ｓ和５４６０Ｆ这一对水稻等位突变系的ＡＦＬＰ分析,比较了ＡＦＬＰ与ＲＡＰＤ及ＲＦＬＰ检测ＤＮＡ多态性的相对效率。结果表明,这３种分子标记的ＤＮＡ多态性检出效率依次为ＡＦＬＰ＞ＲＡＰＤ＞ＲＦＬＰ;找出了水稻ＡＦＬＰ分析的最适反应条件;在这对等位突变系之间找到了一些多态性ＡＦＬＰ产物,已完成了对４个多态性ＡＦＬＰ产物的克隆,其中３个为单拷贝顺序;用这３个单拷贝克隆的混合物为探针,对作者自己构建的５４６０Ｓ水稻的ＢＡＣ库进行了筛选,获得了１２个阳性克隆,为今后ＢＡＣ库的筛选打下了基础。此外,对上述３种分子标记各自的优缺点及它们在ＤＮＡ多态性检测中的适用之处进行了分析探讨。     

MTHFR基因多态性与动脉粥样硬化性脑梗塞的关系

采用ＰＣＲ－ ＲＦＬＰ技术,检测了６２ 例动脉粥样硬化性脑梗塞患者和７９ 名对照者的Ｃ６７７Ｔ 突变的基因型。结果发现, ＭＴＨＦＲ基因Ｃ６７７Ｔ 突变型等位基因（Ｖ）频率在实验组和对照组中,有显著性差异（χ２＝ ４．４１,Ｐ＜ ０．０５）;三种基因型频率在两组人群中均无显著性差异。基因型频率的相对风险分析,ＡＶ基因型比ＡＡ 基因型患脑梗塞风险高１．７６ 倍;ＶＶ 基因型比ＡＡ 基因型患脑梗塞风险高３．２５ 倍。结果表明, ＭＴＨＦＲ 基因Ｃ６７７Ｔ 突变型等位基因与动脉粥样硬化性脑梗塞有一定的关联,突变基因型增加了动脉粥样硬化脑梗塞的发病风险。     

藏酋猴精液深低温冻存的研究──不同的冷冻程序、冷冻稀释保存液冻存效果的比较

以存活率（ＳＲ）、复苏运动度（ＲＭ）、ＳＰＡ为精子活力检测指标，对四种冷冻程序ＰＳＦ、Ｈ３Ｐ、ＬＰ、ＭＤＰ和卵黄的、无卵黄的冷冻稀释保存液进行了藏酋猴（Ｍａｃａｃａ ｔｈｉｂｅｔａｎａ）精液冻存比较研究。 ＰＳＦ的ＳＲ为９０．１±１．９％，ＲＭ为６３．８±２．８％，显著高于其他三种冷冻程序（Ｐ＜０．０１）。卵黄冷冻稀释保存液（ＭＤＭ）的ＳＲ（９５． ４±１．３％）和ＲＭ（８８．０±１０．２％）显著高于无卵黄防冻液（ＦＣＳ－Ｇ／ＴＨ）的ＳＲ（９０．１±１．９％）和ＲＭ（６３．６±２．８％），但前者在复苏一小时后，ＲＭ（１２．５±１．６％）明显低于后者的ＲＭ（５４． ７±２． ２％）。用 ＦＣＳ～Ｇ／ＴＨ冻存的精液经 ＳＰＡ检测，其穿透率为新鲜精子的 ５１． ９％。结果提示：１）慢速降温冷冻程序适于藏酋猴精液冻存；２）卵黄冷冻稀释保存液能较好地保存藏酋猴精液的活动度；而无卵黄防冻液则有利于延长其冷冻精子的运动寿命。这可能与两者的稀释液及所含的脂蛋白不同有关。     

双歧杆菌活菌制剂对慢性乙肝病人细胞免疫功能影响的观察

在应用双歧杆菌活菌制剂治疗慢乙肝期间,重点观察了Ｔ细胞亚群（ＣＤ３,ＣＤ４,ＣＤ８）、ＮＫ细胞（ＣＤ（１６））、白细胞介素Ⅱ（ＩＬ－２）分泌细胞、肿瘤坏死因子（ＴＮＦ）等细胞免疫指标治疗前后的动态变化,同时观察了病人血内毒素水平的动态变化和乙肝病毒标志物（ＨＢＶＭ）的改变。结果表明：（１）与对照组比较,双歧杆菌活菌制剂可使慢乙肝病人ＣＤ３＋,ＣＤ４＋数目明显增多,而对ＣＤ８＋细胞数目无明显影响;（２）双歧杆菌活菌制剂可使ＣＡＨ组的ＣＤ１６＋细胞显著增多（ｐ＜０．０５）;使ＣＡＨ组和ＣＰＨ组的ＩＬ－２分泌细胞均有非常显著和显著增加（分别ｐ＜０．０１和ｐ＜０．０５）;（３）ＣＡＨ组病人血中内毒素和ＴＮＦ水平在双歧杆菌活菌制剂治疗后,匀出现非常显著降低（ｐ＜０．０１）;ＣＰＨ组ＴＮＦ水平较对照组无显著变化,但内毒素水平较对照组显著降低（ｐ＜０．０５）;（４）满疗程后（６０天）ＣＡＨ组有６例,ＣＰＨ组有５例ＨＢｅＡｇ阴转（分别为２６．０６％和２５．０％）,而对照组仅２例阴转（１３．３３％）,两治疗组与对照组比较有显著性差异（ｐ＜０．０５）。     

Dual-parameter flow cytometric analysis coupling the measurements of forward-angle light scatter and DNA content of archival ovarian carcinomas of low malignant potential

Paraffin-embedded archival specimens from 45 cases of ovarian carcinoma of low malignant potential (OCLMP) were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) using propidium iodide (PI) staining. Since single-parameter FCM analysis is often deficient in the resolution of subtle near-diploid DNA-aneuploid populations, forward-angle light scatter (FALS) was measured as a second parameter. DNA aneuploidy was identified in 15 cases (33%). In 7 of those 15 cases, aneuploidy was resolved with single-parameter FCM; in the remaining 8 cases, DNA aneuploidy was resolved only following dual-parameter analysis coupling DNA content and FALS. In all 15 cases, a single near-diploid aneuploid population was observed (mean DNA index = 1.2); there were no tetraploid aneuploid cases. The proliferative activity for all 45 cases studied ranged from 1.0% to 8.9%, with a mean of 3.5%. No difference in mean proliferative activity was observed between the aneuploid and diploid tumors (P greater than .05). To exclude the possibility that PI staining artifacts caused the observed aneuploidy, five of the eight cases shown to be aneuploid by dual-parameter analysis were further studied using an alternate DNA-binding dye, DAPI, yielding similar results. To exclude the possibility that contaminating stromal and/or inflammatory cells caused the observed aneuploidy, samples from a subset of the dual-parameter cases were sorted, revealing the aneuploid populations to be composed primarily of tumor nuclei.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Frequency distribution of DNA in blood and bone marrow cells of children with acute non-lymphatic leukemia using impulse cytophotometry

1. As compared with the peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy subjects the cells in the mononuclear fraction of peripheral blood and in the bone marrow of children with ANLL show a significant higher S- and G2 + M-phase. 2. A high proliferative activity correlate with a bad prognosis or with reaching no haematological remission. 3. Frequently, aneuploid cell populations will occur in the morphological subtypes M 4 and M 5.     

Impulse cytophotometry studies of bone marrow and blood cells in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). 2. Lymphatic cells in blood

The DNA-content of mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood of infantile and juvenile ALL patients was investigated using Pulse Cytophotometry. The fraction of cells in S- and G2 + M-phase is significantly increased in comparison with samples of healthy probands. The fraction of DNA-synthesising cells (S-phase) of both peripheral blood (mononuclear cells) and bone marrow of leukemia patients cannot be significantly distinguished by mathematical methods. On the other hand, the fraction of cells in later phases of cell cycle (G2 + M-phase) is significant enhanced in the bone marrow in comparison with the peripheral blood. A high correlation was found between the number of leukocytes and fraction of G2 + M-phase cells in the peripheral blood of SR- and MR-patients. No correlation was found between the number of leukocytes and S-phase-fraction. The occurrence of aneuploid cell populations in the mononuclear fraction of peripheral blood in the acute state of ALL could be of importance for prognosis and regime of therapy.     

CFU-gm colony formation of peripheral blood and bone marrow in adult acute leukemia at presentation, during remission, and at relapse

Granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming unit (CFU-gm) formation was studied simultaneously in bone marrow and peripheral blood of 52 previously untreated adult patients with acute non-lymphocytic (ANLL) and 36 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). They were followed during induction therapy at monthly intervals while in remission and in 19 ANLL and 22 ALL cases, until relapse. Patients showing a decreased colony number in the marrow but normal or increased colony numbers in the peripheral blood had a high probability of entering remission. Non-responding patients displayed an opposite pattern. The higher the degree of marrow repopulation with granulocytic progenitor cells after induction treatment, the longer remission duration and survival for ANLL patients and the longer survival for ALL patients. CFU-gm formation returned to normal in the early stages of complete remission, but then declined progressively. At ANLL and ALL relapse, colony growth was reduced markedly while cluster formation remained normal. The number of marrow colonies and clusters in ANLL were significantly higher at first and second relapse compared to the growth pattern at first presentation. A similar trend had been observed in ALL, suggesting a selection advantage.     

DNA methylation analysis of bone marrow cells at diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and at remission

To detect genes with CpG sites that display methylation patterns that are characteristic of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells, we compared the methylation patterns of cells taken at diagnosis from 20 patients with pediatric ALL to the methylation patterns in mononuclear cells from bone marrow of the same patients during remission and in non-leukemic control cells from bone marrow or blood. Using a custom-designed assay, we measured the methylation levels of 1,320 CpG sites in regulatory regions of 413 genes that were analyzed because they display allele-specific gene expression (ASE) in ALL cells. The rationale for our selection of CpG sites was that ASE could be the result of allele-specific methylation in the promoter regions of the genes. We found that the ALL cells had methylation profiles that allowed distinction between ALL cells and control cells. Using stringent criteria for calling differential methylation, we identified 28 CpG sites in 24 genes with recurrent differences in their methylation levels between ALL cells and control cells. Twenty of the differentially methylated genes were hypermethylated in the ALL cells, and as many as nine of them (AMICA1, CPNE7, CR1, DBC1, EYA4, LGALS8, RYR3, UQCRFS1, WDR35) have functions in cell signaling and/or apoptosis. The methylation levels of a subset of the genes were consistent with an inverse relationship with the mRNA expression levels in a large number of ALL cells from published data sets, supporting a potential biological effect of the methylation signatures and their application for diagnostic purposes.     

Flow cytometric detection of multifocal DNA aneuploid cell populations in mastectomy specimens containing a primary breast carcinoma

DNA flow cytometry was used to study the presence of DNA aneuploid cell populations in macroscopically normal glandular tissue in mastectomy specimens from 30 patients with breast cancer. In the 13 patients with a DNA diploid primary tumor, no DNA aneuploidy could be found in any of the 39 distant specimens assessed. However, DNA aneuploid cell populations were demonstrated in four of the 17 (23%) patients with a primary DNA aneuploid carcinoma and in seven out of 54 (13%) distant tissue samples (P = 0.02). In all cases the DNA index of the DNA aneuploid cells found in the distant samples was identical to that of the primary tumor. The replicate aneuploid DNA indices and histologic controls taken in parallel very strongly suggest that these distant DNA aneuploid cell populations are metastases.     

Bone marrow stromal culture from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and patients at different stages of acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia

The haematopoietic microenvironment or stroma plays a decisive role for the proliferation and differentiation of haemopoietic cells. We studied if bone marrow cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute nonlymphocytic leukaemias (ANLL) are altered in their ability to form adherent stromal layer with active haemopoiesis in the Dexter liquid culture. Bone marrow cells were obtained from 24 normal volunteers, 28 patients with ANLL in different stages of the disease and 9 patients with MDS. There are no differences between the stromal layers of patients with ANLL in complete remission and those of normal volunteers after two weeks of cultivation. However, bone marrow cells from patients with ANLL before treatment and from patients in relapse formed a poor adherent stromal layer in most cases. In 6 of 9 cases we found the normal stromal grade of bone marrow cells from patients with MDS. There were qualitative differences in the nonadherent cell population between normal and ANLL patients in complete remission. In most cases we found morphologically recognizable erythroid cells after two-weeks Dexter liquid culture of bone marrow cells from patients with ANLL in complete remission, which were not seen with normal volunteers. This could be an indication of harmful effects on the balance of haematopoiesis caused by previous infiltration with leukaemic cells or/and high-dose chemotherapy.     

Flow cytometric determination of ploidy and proliferative activity on isolated bone marrow particles and on total bone marrow aspirate

The nuclear DNA content distribution of peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) cells was determined by propidium iodide flow cytometry in 33 patients who underwent BM aspiration for diagnostic purposes. Two types of BM samples were taken during every aspiration procedure: whole BM aspirate, composed of BM particles contaminated by PB cells; isolated BM particles. Proliferative activity was calculated as the percentage of cells with DNA content intermediate between the diploid (2n) and the tetraploid (4n) values (2n-4n%). Ploidy was expressed as the ratio between the modal channel of the G0-G1 peak of the probe and that of an internal reference standard (DNA index, DI). The 2n-4n% was very close to zero in all PB samples. It was significantly greater in BM particles (21.2 +/- 6.6%) than in whole BM aspirate (16.6 +/- 5.5%, p less than .0005), with a close correlation (r2 = 66; p less than .0001) between the two values. Aneuploid stem lines were found in BM but not in PB. The DI of BM stem lines were similar in whole BM aspirate and BM particles, but the percentage of aneuploid cells was usually higher in BM particles. The reduced proliferative activity and the lower percent of aneuploid cells found in whole BM aspirates, with respect to BM particles, can be attributed to the contamination of BM tissue by PB, which had a very low proliferative activity and did not show aneuploidy. BM particles are therefore an easily obtained and reliable sample for routine evaluation of proliferative activity and ploidy of BM cells by DNA flow cytometry.     

Cytogenetic analysis and clinical significance of chromosome 7 aberrations in acute leukaemia

The analysis was performed on bone marrow cells derived from 96 patients with acute leukaemia (AL): 76 with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) and 20 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Aberrations of chromosome 7 were revealed in 20 (21%) of 96 analysed cases: in 14 (18%) with AML and in six (30%) with ALL. Structural aberrations, present in 13 patients (eight with AML and five with ALL), were unbalanced and led to partial monosomy (12 cases) or trisomy (four cases) of chromosome 7. Twelve (86%) out of 14 AML and all the ALL patients with chromosome 7 aberrations had complex karyotypes in their bone marrow cells. Monosomy 7 and 7q losses were frequently observed in the AML group, whereas, in the ALL group, gains in 7q and losses in the short arms constituted most chromosome 7 aberrations. The occurrence of monosomy, or of losses in 7q, results in a worse response to induction therapy in AML patients. The complete remission (CR) rate was significantly lower in this group in comparison to the group of AML patients with a normal karyotype (p = 0.01) in bone marrow cells.     

Leukaemic peripheral blood plasma and bone marrow plasma: comparison of influence on lymphocyte proliferation

Abstract. Peripheral blood plasma from some children with untreated acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) exerted an inhibitory effect in vitro on phytohaemagglutinininduced lymphocyte transformation of normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. This occurred at concentrations beyond that required for optimal response as judged by reduction of blast cell formation and tritiated thymidine and tritiated uridine incorporation into DNA and RNA, respectively. In contrast, bone marrow plasma from these patients was non-inhibitory or contained significantly less inhibitory activity. Bone marrow plasma from the majority of healthy controls was superior to their peripheral blood plasma in enhancing phytohaemagglutinin-induced mitogenesis. The difference between an individual's bone marrow- and peripheral blood-derived plasma in enhancing proliferation of patient and healthy control cells was significantly greater amongst the patients than the healthy control group; this was attributed mainly to the increased inhibitory activity of ALL peripheral blood plasma compared with normal plasma. Medium conditioned by phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated normal peripheral blood lymphocytes was effective in neutralizing the inhibitory activity of ALL peripheral blood plasma. Taken together, these in vitro results are at least suggestive that in vivo , in healthy subjects, the rapidly proliferating cells in the bone marrow and the 'resting' blood cells in the circulation may be under the influence of a fine balance of different types and/or levels of humoral growth stimulatory and inhibitory factors and that in ALL an unstable balance of these factors exists. The decreased proliferation of circulating blast cells compared with bone marrow blasts in ALL may be attributed, at least in part, to exposure to the different levels of inhibitor(s) in the circulation and bone marrow as demonstrated in vitro by our results.