Growth of Human Bone Marrow in Liquid Culture

A system for the cultivation of normaland malignant human bone marrowcells in liquid medium is described.The apparatus used is an in vitro diffusion chamber in which cells growin suspension and upon a dialysismembrane. Proliferation and maturation of normal granulocytes and macrophages were sustained in culture forseveral weeks in the absence of exogenous stimulating substances. Cellreplication was documented by a risein viable counts, ³H-thymidine incorporation, and labeled mitoses. Theentire maturational sequence of thegranulocyte and macrophage serieswas identified in culture, and the cellswere characterized by light and electron microscopy, cytochemical properties, phagocytic ability, and the presence of surface receptors for IgG.Nucleated red cell precursors wereobserved in some cultures for up to 11days. Malignant cells from patientswith various hematologic neoplasmswere also successfully cultured. Withthis system human myeloma cells weremaintained in culture for up to 3 wkon primary explant, and continued tosynthesize immunoglobulin. The invitro diffusion chamber technique permits the cultivation of normal humanbone marrow cells in liquid mediumand provides a convenient means forstudying normal and neoplastichematopoietic cell differentiation andfunction in short-term culture.

Submitted on May 29, 1972 Revised on June 13, 1972 Accepted on June 20, 1972