Globin Synthesis in Normal Human Bone Marrow

Abstract
Globin synthesis was studied by in vitro labeling with radioactive amino acids in 60 normal human bone-marrow samples. Under the conditions routinely used to fractionate .alpha. and .beta. chains by chromatography, .alpha./.beta. production ratios ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 were obtained, depending on the method of sample treatment. This variation was due entirely to the presence of non-heme proteins derived from white cells which chromatograph with globin on CM[carboxy methyl]-cellulose. Purification of globin on Sephadex G100 and fractionation of .alpha. and .beta. globin chains by a modified chromatographic system resulted in .alpha./.beta. ratios of unity. The relevance of these findings to the study of marrows in which there is unbalanced globin chain production is discussed.