Histogenesis of hemopoietic bone marrow in adult mice.

Based on the concept that the hierarchy of regulatory genes may specify mammalian development, we attempted to evaluate how morphological and functional phenotypes of hemopoietic bone marrow develop in murine models. From studies of local irradiation, s.c. implantation of bone with or without marrow, and renal subcapsular implantation of marrow plugs or bone without marrow, we identified four sequential (necrotic, clearing, stromal proliferating, and hemopoiesis-recovering) responses in the early phase of the reconstruction of hemopoietic marrow that spatially and temporally proceeded in this restricted order. In addition, characteristic hexagonal sinuses were found to participate in the development of hemopoietic marrow in the early phase. The development of hexagonally arranged sinuses seems to coincide with the formation of abundant osseous trabeculae and to precede the appearance of colony-forming units in culture (CFU-C) and spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S). These findings are discussed from the point of the hierarchy of regulation.