Characterization of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells in Suspension and Monolayer Cultures

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Abstract
Aspirated marrow fragments from healthy adult baboons were cultured in a simple liquid suspension tissue culture system. During the incubation period, hemopoietic cells were discharged from the fragments and settled to the floor of the culture vessels, thus allowing a separation of marrow stromal elements, retained within the fragments. Cells associated with the marrow stroma in vitro were of 4 main types: adipocytes, macrophages, plasma cells and unidentified lipid-laden cells related to fibroblasts. These last cells were capable of DNA synthesis in vitro, and were morphologically and functionally distinguishable from typical marrow macrophages. Macrophages were characterized by their phagocytic properties. Plasma cells were capable of prolonged survival and Ig output in vitro. In monolayer cultures of disaggregated fragment cell suspensions, the lipid-laden stromal cells rapidly assumed fibroblast-like morphology. Fibroblastic proliferation to confluent monolayers was seen within a few days. Plasma cells reorientated themselves around these cells to form rosettes, and bridge communications between the 2 cell types were seen frequently. Plasma cell Ig output rate per cell appeared to be potentiated by this association.