Studies of Fibroblast-Like Cells from the Bone Marrow of Leukemic and Nonleukemic Children. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Human bone marrow aspirates were suspended in nutrient media and dispensed into Leighton tubes with coverslips but no feeder layer. Fibroblast-like cell sheets were cultivated from 17 of 18 (94%) nonleukemic children and from 42 of 47 (89%) children with leukemia or lymphomas. Such cell cultures could be maintained in serial subcultivation for 1 to 21 passages. No differences in morphology or rate of metabolism in vitro were observed between nonleukemic and leukemic cultures. Leukemic cell cultures survived significantly longer than nonleukemic cultures when cultivated in human serum. None became permanent cell lines. Unstained and stained preparations of every passage of each cell line failed to reveal the unmasking of any latent viral agent. Leukemic cell cultures failed to hemadsorb guinea pig erythrocytes. The technic described provides a simple method for cultivation of human fibroblast-like cells on coverslips without a feeder layer. Such preparations may be useful in hematological or microbiological studies where cytological observations are important.