Induction of differentiation of cultured mouse myeloid leukemic cells by arginase.

Mouse myeloid leukemic cells (Ml) could be induced by a factor in ascitic fluid to phagocytize, migrate in agar, and change into forms that were morphologically similar to macrophages and granulocytes. Arginase also induced these differentiation-associated properties of the cells. The Ml cells did not differentiate in culture medium containing arginine, but they differentiated into macrophages and granulocytes during culture in arginine-deficient culture medium. Therefore, the effect of arginase may be attribute to arginase-mediated arginine depletion.