THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE THROMBOCYTOPENIA ON MEGAKARYOCYTE-CFC AND GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE-CFC IN MICE - STUDIES OF BONE-MARROW AND SPLEEN

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (2) , 274-283
Abstract
The effects of acute thrombocytopenia, produced by platelet antiserum (PAS), on megakaryocyte colony-forming cells (Meg-CFC) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFC) were studied. During the 1-h to 14-day period following acute thrombocytopenia (platelet counts < 5% of normal), bone marrow and splenic cells of C57BL/6J mice were obtained and cultured for 7 days in 0.3% agar. Numbers of GM and Meg colonies were determined. At no times were alterations in frequency of GM-CFC and Meg-CFC detected in femoral bone marrow. GM-CFC in spleen were increased from 3-7 days after PAS and from 4-7 days after normal serum (NS). Increase in Meg-CFC in the spleen occurred from 3-5 days after PAS with a lesser, not significant, increase after NS. Alterations in white blood cells and hematocrit values were not detected. Similar responses were observed in germ-free mice and after rechallenge of animals that had received PAS or NS 14 days previously. The delayed increase in Meg-CFC indicates that they are unlikely to be responsible for the altered megakaryopoiesis previously reported in bone marrow after acute thrombocytopenia; the delayed increase in Meg-CFC is apparently not due to inhibition by PAS. The increase in GM-CFC may reflect stimulation of the RES by heterologous proteins.