Collagen gels as a matrix for haemopoiesis.

We have shown that collagen gel can be used as a culture matrix for the cloning of granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-C), the production of foci of marrow stromal cells and the maintenance of stem cell proliferation, differentiation and the production of CFU-C. Since collagen is a physiological matrix and allows the simultaneous growth of a variety of cellular elements, the system should prove useful for examining the role of cell/cell interactions and regulatory molecules involved in haemopoiesis.