Growth and differentiation of normal and leukemic human bone marrow cells cultured in diffusion chambers.

Bone marrow from healthy, normal volunteers and patients with acute myelocytic leukemia was cultured in diffusion chambers implanted into cyclophosphamide pretreated mice. Chambers were removed at regularly scheduled intervals over a period of 28 days. Total and differential cell counts were then done on the contents of each chamber. Normal human bone marrow showed an orderly pattern of growth and differentiation which was not found with leukemic bone marrow. Monocytes and macrophages were the predominant cell types in the diffusion chambers filled with normal marrow after day 10 of culture. Although leukemic specimens showed predominantly leukemic cells, a few mature polymorphonuclear leukocytes could be found throughout the entire culture period. Questions about the nature of the defect in acute myelocytic leukemia and the significance of the in vivo culture system are discussed. The results of these studies are compared and contrasted with studies of a similar type.