Human bone marrow granulocyte‐ macrophageal colonies (GM‐Cs) in vitro: Myeloid cells in health and in cases of myeloid leukemia

Abstract

The morphological characteristics of granulocyte/macrophageal (GM‐) colonies and clusters, obtained in vitro (in semi‐solid agar cultures) from bone marrow hematopoietic myeloid progenitors pertain to leukocyte hemorheology of healthy persons and patients with myeloid leukemias. The morphological features of in vitro growing myeloid progenitors, granulocytes and macrophages of healthy persons differ in their cell size, shape and degree of differentiation from the cultivated marrow cells in cases of acute and chronic myeloid leukaemia. In this malignant disease, the rheological properties of leukocytes (granulocytes/macrophages) were found to provide diagnostic information. Further studies should be undertaken to examine whether the method could be useful in defining survival, prognosis and therapeutical approach in cases of myeloid leukemia.