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Showing papers on "Haematopoiesis published in 1994"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Large numbers of DC progenitors are observed in cord blood and in adult blood from healthy donors, which should facilitate future studies of their Fc epsilon RI and CD4 receptors, and their use in stimulating T cell-mediated resistance to viruses and tumors.
Abstract: CD34+ cells in human cord blood and marrow are known to give rise to dendritic cells (DC), as well as to other myeloid lineages. CD34+ cells are rare in adult blood, however, making it difficult to use CD34+ cells to ascertain if DC progenitors are present in the circulation and if blood can be a starting point to obtain large numbers of these immunostimulatory antigen-presenting cells for clinical studies. A systematic search for DC progenitors was therefore carried out in several contexts. In each case, we looked initially for the distinctive proliferating aggregates that were described previously in mice. In cord blood, it was only necessary to deplete erythroid progenitors, and add granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) together with tumor necrosis factor (TNF), to observe many aggregates and the production of typical DC progeny. In adult blood from patients receiving CSFs after chemotherapy for malignancy, GM-CSF and TNF likewise generated characteristic DCs from HLA-DR negative precursors. However, in adult blood from healthy donors, the above approaches only generated small DC aggregates which then seemed to become monocytes. When interleukin 4 was used to suppress monocyte development (Jansen, J. H., G.-J. H. M. Wientjens, W. E. Fibbe, R. Willemze, and H. C. Kluin-Nelemans. 1989. J. Exp. Med. 170:577.), the addition of GM-CSF led to the formation of large proliferating DC aggregates and within 5-7 d, many nonproliferating progeny, about 3-8 million cells per 40 ml of blood. The progeny had a characteristic morphology and surface composition (e.g., abundant HLA-DR and accessory molecules for cell-mediated immunity) and were potent stimulators of quiescent T cells. Therefore, large numbers of DCs can be mobilized by specific cytokines from progenitors in the blood stream. These relatively large numbers of DC progeny should facilitate future studies of their Fc epsilon RI and CD4 receptors, and their use in stimulating T cell-mediated resistance to viruses and tumors.

1,993 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
09 Sep 1994-Science
TL;DR: The developmental programs of lymphoid and myeloid lineages require a common genetic function likely acting at the level of a multipotential progenitor, and mice carrying a mutation in the PU.1 locus were generated by gene targeting.
Abstract: The transcription factor PU.1 is a hematopoietic-specific member of the ets family. Mice carrying a mutation in the PU.1 locus were generated by gene targeting. Homozygous mutant embryos died at a late gestational stage. Mutant embryos produced normal numbers of megakaryocytes and erythroid progenitors, but some showed an impairment of erythroblast maturation. An invariant consequence of the mutation was a multilineage defect in the generation of progenitors for B and T lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes. Thus, the developmental programs of lymphoid and myeloid lineages require a common genetic function likely acting at the level of a multipotential progenitor.

1,546 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
15 Sep 1994-Nature
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the transcription factor GATA-2 plays a critical role in haematopoiesis, particularly of an adult type, and proposed that it regulates genes controlling growth factor responsiveness or the proliferative capacity of early haem atopoietic cells.
Abstract: Blood cell development relies on the expansion and maintenance of haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the embryo. By gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells, we demonstrate that the transcription factor GATA-2 plays a critical role in haematopoiesis, particularly of an adult type. We propose that GATA-2 regulates genes controlling growth factor responsiveness or the proliferative capacity of early haematopoietic cells.

1,414 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
16 Jun 1994-Nature
TL;DR: A meg-CSF/thrombopoietin-like protein that is present in plasma of irradiated pigs has been purified and cloned and binds to and activates the c-mpl protein, a member of the cytokine receptor superfamily.
Abstract: Physiological platelet synthesis is thought to require the humoral activities of meg-CSF and thrombopoietin, which respectively promote proliferation and maturation of megakaryocytic cells. A meg-CSF/thrombopoietin-like protein that is present in plasma of irradiated pigs has been purified and cloned. This protein binds to and activates the c-mpl protein, a member of the cytokine receptor superfamily. The isolated Mpl ligand shares homology with erythropoietin and stimulates both megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombopoiesis.

1,338 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
21 Oct 1994-Science
TL;DR: Results identify Fos as a key regulator of osteoclast-macrophage lineage determination in vivo and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic bone diseases.
Abstract: Mice lacking the proto-oncogene c-fos develop the bone disease osteopetrosis. Fos mutant mice were found to have a block in the differentiation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts that was intrinsic to hematopoietic cells. Bone marrow transplantation rescued the osteopetrosis, and ectopic c-fos expression overcame this differentiation block. The lack of Fos also caused a lineage shift between osteoclasts and macrophages that resulted in increased numbers of bone marrow macrophages. These results identify Fos as a key regulator of osteoclast-macrophage lineage determination in vivo and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic bone diseases.

1,212 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Nov 1994-Immunity
TL;DR: The ability to predict the longevity of reconstitutes based on lineage marker expression indicates that reconstitution potential is deterministic, not stochastic.

1,176 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that candidate human stem cells with a CD34+CD38lo phenotype that were purified from adult bone marrow have shorter telomeres than cells from fetal liver or umbilical cord blood and that cells produced in cytokine-supplemented cultures of purified precursor cells show a proliferation-associated loss of telomeric DNA.
Abstract: The proliferative life-span of the stem cells that sustain hematopoiesis throughout life is not known. It has been proposed that the sequential loss of telomeric DNA from the ends of human chromosomes with each somatic cell division eventually reaches a critical point that triggers cellular senescence. We now show that candidate human stem cells with a CD34+CD38lo phenotype that were purified from adult bone marrow have shorter telomeres than cells from fetal liver or umbilical cord blood. We also found that cells produced in cytokine-supplemented cultures of purified precursor cells show a proliferation-associated loss of telomeric DNA. These findings strongly suggest that the proliferative potential of most, if not all, hematopoietic stem cells is limited and decreases with age, a concept that has widespread implications for models of normal and abnormal hematopoiesis as well as gene therapy.

1,167 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
16 Jun 1994-Nature
TL;DR: The ligand for c-Mpl is relatively lineage specific, works both alone and synergistically with early acting cytokines to support megakaryocyte colony formation, and acts at a late stage of development to increase megakarianocyte size, polyploidization and expression of differentiation markers.
Abstract: The development of blood cells including expansion of megakaryocyte progenitor cells requires the interplay of marrow stromal cells and polypeptide cytokines. Recently, characterization of c-Mpl, the receptor encoded by the proto-oncogene c-mpl, revealed structural homology with the haematopoietic cytokine receptor family, and its involvement in megakaryocyte development. We report here that the ligand for c-Mpl is relatively lineage specific, works both alone and synergistically with early acting cytokines to support megakaryocyte colony formation, and acts at a late stage of development to increase megakaryocyte size, polyploidization and expression of differentiation markers. In vivo, c-Mpl ligand stimulates platelet production by greatly expanding marrow and splenic megakaryocytes and their progenitors, and by shifting the distribution of megakaryocyte ploidy to higher values. Thus, as c-Mpl ligand has the expected characteristics of the major regulator of megakaryocyte development, we propose that it be termed thrombopoietin.

1,066 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
07 Oct 1994-Cell
TL;DR: It is proposed that Ikaros promotes differentiation of pluripotential hematopoietic stem cell(s) into the lymphocyte pathways through the erythroid and myeloid lineages in mutant mice.

986 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
15 Sep 1994-Blood
TL;DR: Observations indicate that G-CSF is indispensible for maintaining the normal quantitative balance of neutrophil production during "steady-state" granulopoiesis in vivo and also implicate G- CSF in "emergency"granulopOiesis during infections.

916 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Observations indicate that GM-CSF is not essential for the maintenance of normal levels of the major types of mature hematopoietic cells and their precursors in blood, marrow, and spleen, but they implicate GM- CSF as essential for normal pulmonary physiology and resistance to local infection.
Abstract: Mice homozygous for a disrupted granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene develop normally and show no major perturbation of hematopoiesis up to 12 weeks of age. While most GM-CSF-deficient mice are superficially healthy and fertile, all develop abnormal lungs. There is extensive peribronchovascular infiltration with lymphocytes, predominantly B cells. Alveoli contain granular eosinophilic material and lamellar bodies, indicative of surfactant accumulation. There are numerous large intraalveolar phagocytic macrophages. Some mice have subclinical lung infections involving bacterial or fungal organisms, occasionally with focal areas of acute purulent inflammation or lobar pneumonia. Some features of this pathology resemble the human disorder alveolar proteinosis. These observations indicate that GM-CSF is not essential for the maintenance of normal levels of the major types of mature hematopoietic cells and their precursors in blood, marrow, and spleen. However, they implicate GM-CSF as essential for normal pulmonary physiology and resistance to local infection.

Journal ArticleDOI
29 Apr 1994-Science
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that GM- CSF is not an essential growth factor for basal hematopoiesis and an unexpected, critical role for GM-CSF in pulmonary homeostasis is revealed.
Abstract: The in vivo function of murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was investigated in mice, carrying a null allele of the GM-CSF gene, that were generated by gene targeting techniques in embryonic stem cells. Although steady-state hematopoiesis was unimpaired in homozygous mutant animals, all animals developed the progressive accumulation of surfactant lipids and proteins in the alveolar space, the defining characteristic of the idiopathic human disorder pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Extensive lymphoid hyperplasia associated with lung airways and blood vessels was also found, yet no infectious agents could be detected. These results demonstrate that GM-CSF is not an essential growth factor for basal hematopoiesis and reveal an unexpected, critical role for GM-CSF in pulmonary homeostasis.

Journal ArticleDOI
02 Dec 1994-Cell
TL;DR: Surprisingly, heterozygous embryos contain, on average, about half as many B cells as wild-type embryos, suggesting the existence of a counting mechanism that translates levels of E2A into numbers of B cells.

Journal ArticleDOI
29 Jul 1994-Science
TL;DR: This receptor was the major mediator of neutrophil migration to sites of inflammation and may provide a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory disease.
Abstract: Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a proinflammatory cytokine that specifically attracts and activates human neutrophils. A murine gene with a high degree of homology to the two known human IL-8 receptors was cloned and then deleted from the mouse genome by homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells. These mice, although outwardly healthy, had lymphadenopathy, resulting from an increase in B cells, and splenomegaly, resulting from an increase in metamyelocytes, band, and mature neutrophils. Thus, this receptor may participate in the expansion and development of neutrophils and B cells. This receptor was the major mediator of neutrophil migration to sites of inflammation and may provide a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory disease.

Journal ArticleDOI
02 Sep 1994-Science
TL;DR: Results show that c-mpl specifically regulates megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombopoiedis through activation by its ligand TPO.
Abstract: Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a cytokine that is involved in the regulation of platelet production. The receptor for TPO is c-Mpl. To further investigate the role and specificity of this receptor in regulating megakaryocytopoiesis, c-mpl-deficient mice were generated by gene targeting. The c-mpl-/- mice had an 85 percent decrease in their number of platelets and megakaryocytes but had normal amounts of other hematopoietic cell types. These mice also had increased concentrations of circulating TPO. These results show that c-mpl specifically regulates megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombopoiesis through activation by its ligand TPO.

Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: This work shows that SCF critically regulates the migration and survival of mast cell precursors and mast cell adherence, promotes the proliferation of both immature and mature mast cells, enhances mast cell maturation, and regulates the extent of mediator release in mast cells activated by immunoglobulin (IgE)-dependent mechanisms.
Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the importance of stem cell factor (SCF) and the stem cell factor receptor (SCFR) in hematopoiesis and other complex developmental programs affecting melanocytes, germ cells, and mast cells that are predicted based on an analysis of the phenotype of mice with mutations affecting SCF or its receptor. Investigation of the effects of SCF on a single cell type, the mast cell, has produced the most complete picture of the spectrum of biological processes that can be regulated by interactions between the SCFR and SCF. This work shows that SCF critically regulates the migration and survival of mast cell precursors and mast cell adherence, promotes the proliferation of both immature and mature mast cells, enhances mast cell maturation, directly induces secretion of mast cell mediators, and regulates the extent of mediator release in mast cells activated by immunoglobulin (IgE)-dependent mechanisms. SCF also has a major role in lymphohematopoiesis. Notably, many of the actions of SCF in hematopoiesis and in lymphocyte development, including effects on the survival and proliferation of early hematopoietic cells, as well as actions that augment the maturation/differentiation of diverse lineages of hematopoietic or lymphoid cells, are expressed in large part through synergistic interactions with other growth factors.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An in vitro ES cell differentiation assay is used for the phenotypic analysis of targeted mutations affecting hematopoietic development and finds that arrested GATA-1(-)-definitive proerythroblasts express GATA target genes at normal levels, implying substantial interchangeability of GATA factors in vivo.
Abstract: Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells lacking the transcription factor GATA-1 do not produce mature red blood cells either in vivo or in vitro. To define the consequences of GATA-1 loss more precisely, we used an in vitro ES cell differentiation assay that permits enumeration of primitive (EryP) and definitive (EryD) erythroid precursors and recovery of pure erythroid colonies. In contrast to normal ES cells, GATA-1- ES cells fail to generate EryP precursors. EryD precursors, however, are normal in number but undergo developmental arrest and death at the proerythroblast stage. Contrary to initial expectations, arrested GATA-1(-)-definitive proerythroblasts express GATA target genes at normal levels. Transcripts of the related factor GATA-2 are remarkably elevated in GATA-1- proerythroblasts. These findings imply substantial interchangeability of GATA factors in vivo and suggest that GATA-1 normally serves to repress GATA-2 during erythropoiesis. The approach used here is a paradigm for the phenotypic analysis of targeted mutations affecting hematopoietic development.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that perforin-less -/- mice retain and express the Fas lytic pathway as expressed in vitro but that this pathway is insufficient to clear an LCMV infection in vivo.
Abstract: Mice lacking the perforin gene were generated by using targeted gene disruption in embryonal stem cells. When infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), perforin-less (-/-) mice showed clear signs of having mounted an immune response based on activation of CD8 T cells but were unable to clear the LCMV infection. This failure to eliminate virus was accompanied by a failure to generate spleen cells capable of lysing LCMV-infected fibroblasts in vitro. Spleen cells from LCMV-infected -/- mice were able to lyse hematopoietic target cells after exposure to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin, provided the target cells expressed the Fas antigen. Spleen cells from -/- mice also responded to alloantigen in mixed leukocyte culture by blastogenesis and proliferation. The resulting cells were able to lyse hematopoietic target cells, although not as well as spleen cells from +/+ littermates sensitized in the same manner. However, lysis by -/- cells was again seen only if the target cells expressed Fas antigen. We conclude that perforin-less -/- mice retain and express the Fas lytic pathway as expressed in vitro but that this pathway is insufficient to clear an LCMV infection in vivo.

Journal ArticleDOI
14 Apr 1994-Nature
TL;DR: The purified ligand enhances the response of mouse stem cells and a primitive human progenitor cell population to other growth factors such as interleukins IL-3 and IL-6 and to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and also stimulates fetal thymocytes.
Abstract: THE FLT3/FLK2 receptor tyrosine kinase is closely related to two receptors, c-Kit and c-Fms, which function with their respective ligands, Kit ligand and macrophage colony-stimulating factor to control differentiation of haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic cells1–5. FLT3/FLK2 is thought to be present on haematopoietic stem cells and found in brain, placenta and testis3–5. We have purified to homogeneity and partially sequenced a soluble form of the FLT3/FLK2 ligand produced by mouse thymic stromal cells. We isolated several mouse and human complementary DNAs that encode polypeptides with identical N termini and different C termini. Some variants contain hydrophobic transmembrane segments, suggesting that processing may be required to release soluble lig-and. The purified ligand enhances the response of mouse stem cells and a primitive human progenitor cell population to other growth factors such as interleukins IL-3 and IL-6 and to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and also stimulates fetal thymocytes.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Observations of gene transfer and expression of the human glucocerebrosidase cDNA by a Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV)-based retroviral vector in a murine gene transfer/bone marrow transplant (BMT) model may have important implications for future clinical applications of Retroviral-mediated gene transfer into HSCs.
Abstract: We describe studies of gene transfer and expression of the human glucocerebrosidase cDNA by a Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV)-based retroviral vector in a murine gene transfer/bone marrow transplant (BMT) model. Pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were assayed as the colony-forming units, spleen (CFU-S) generated after serial transplantation. Transcriptional expression from the MoMuLV long-terminal repeat (LTR) was detected at a high level in the primary (1 degree) CFU-S and tissues of reconstituted BMT recipients. However, we observed transcriptional inactivity of the proviral MoMuLV-LTR in > 90% of the secondary (2 degrees) CFU-S and in 100% of the tertiary (3 degrees) CFU-S examined. We have compared the methylation status of the provirus in the 1 degree CFU-S, which show strong vector expression, to that of the transcriptionally inactive provirus in the 2 degrees and 3 degrees CFU-S by Southern blot analysis using the methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme Sma I. The studies demonstrated a 3- to 4-fold increase in methylation of the Sma I site in the proviral LTR of 2 degrees and 3 degrees CFU-S compared to the transcriptionally active 1 degree CFU-S. These observations may have important implications for future clinical applications of retroviral-mediated gene transfer into HSCs, where persistent gene expression would be needed for an enduring therapeutic effect.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work provides the first direct evidence that human osteoblasts participate in hematopoiesis by constitutively producing G-CSF and present the protein in a membrane-associated fashion to human hematoietic progenitors.
Abstract: Previous attempts at identifying the constitutive source(s) of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in human bone marrow have been unsuccessful despite the fact that normal bone marrow supports abundant myelopoiesis in vivo. We hypothesized that the intimate physical association between bone and hematopoietic cells facilitates interactions between osteoblasts and hematopoietic stem cells. Here we provide the first direct evidence that human osteoblasts participate in hematopoiesis by constitutively producing G-CSF and present the protein in a membrane-associated fashion to human hematopoietic progenitors. These results suggest a direct and central role for osteoblasts in normal myelopoiesis.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 May 1994-Blood
TL;DR: P-gly and the MDR1 mRNA are expressed in normal leukocytes, and this P-gly expression is lineage specific with relatively high levels among CD56+ cells, which concludes that hematopoietic development or function may be dependent on P- gly.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The use of a post‐infusion growth factor and a radiation preparative regimen was important for neutrophil recovery, and a diagnosis of breast cancer was importantfor platelet recovery, in patients undergoing transplant using autologous PBSCs mobilized with high‐dose recombinant granulocyte stimulating factor.
Abstract: Factors affecting mobilization and engraftment were analysed in 54 patients undergoing transplant using autologous PBSCs mobilized with high-dose recombinant granulocyte stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). Patients received 5-7 d of rhG-CSF, 16 micrograms/kg/d, administered subcutaneously. PBSCs were harvested by leukapheresis using automated continuous-flow blood cell separators beginning on day 4 of rhG-CSF, processing 10 litres of whole blood, for 2-6 consecutive days. Transplants were performed for the following diseases: breast cancer (n = 22), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 18), multiple myeloma (n = 7) and other (n = 7). Engraftment was rapid with patients reaching a neutrophil count of 1 x 10(9)/l a median of 12 d (range 9-22) after transplant. Platelets > 20 x 10(9)/l independent of transfusion support were achieved a median of day 10 (range 7-60) after infusion. Multiple factors potentially influencing engraftment were examined using a Cox regression model. The number of CD34+ cells per kg was highly correlated with the time to achievement of granulocyte and platelet recovery (P < 0.012, 0.0001). The use of a post-infusion growth factor and a radiation preparative regimen was important for neutrophil recovery, and a diagnosis of breast cancer was important for platelet recovery. In an analysis by linear regression of the logarithm of CD34+ cells collected, lower age, marrow without disease, no prior radiation, and lower number of prior chemotherapy regimens, were important factors influencing larger numbers of CD34+ cells in collections.

Journal ArticleDOI
15 Mar 1994-Blood
TL;DR: Only in the progeny of single CD34+, CD38-, HLA-DR+ cells that gave rise to dispersed cells was each of the hematopoietic cell lineages found, ie, B lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, osteoclasts, basophils/mast cells, eosinophils, erythrocytes, megakaryocytes and platelets.

Journal ArticleDOI
15 Aug 1994-Blood
TL;DR: Results suggest that anti-Fas- mediated cell death may, in part, be determined by bcl-2 expression status in Fas+ lymphoid and hematopoietic cells.

Journal Article
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that SCF can regulate the survival of a cellular lineage which expresses the SCFR by suppressing apoptosis, and a mechanism that can result in striking and rapid reductions in the size of tissue mast cell populations without histological evidence of the concomitant induction of a significant inflammatory response is identified.
Abstract: Stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor (SCFR), a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase III family that is encoded by the c-kit gene, critically regulate several complex biological programs including hematopoiesis, mast cell development, cutaneous pigmentation, and gametogenesis. We show herein that mouse mast cells die rapidly after the withdrawal of SCF in vivo or in vitro, and provide morphological evidence that such mast cells undergo programmed cell death or apoptosis. We also show that when in vitro-derived mouse mast cells maintained in SCF are removed from SCF-containing medium for only 5 or 6 hours, the cells' genomic DNA exhibits the ladder-like pattern of oligonucleosome-sized fragments typical of apoptosis. These findings demonstrate that SCF can regulate the survival of a cellular lineage which expresses the SCFR by suppressing apoptosis. They also identify a mechanism that can result in striking and rapid reductions in the size of tissue mast cell populations without histological evidence of the concomitant induction of a significant inflammatory response.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jul 1994-Blood
TL;DR: BMEC exhibit specific affinity forCD34+ progenitor cells and megakaryocytes, suggesting that the BM microvasculature may play a role in regulating the trafficking, proliferation, and differentiation of lineage specific hematopoietic elements, and possibly of pluripotent stem cells within the CD34+ population.

Journal Article
TL;DR: The SCF/c-kit system may, possibly in combination with other growth factor/receptor systems, be involved in the early activation of the hepatic stem cells as well as in the expansion and differentiation of oval cells.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The studies demonstrate a reproducible way to immortalize lymphohematopoietic progenitors and implicate specific roles for retinoic acid receptors at two distinct stages of hematopoiesis.
Abstract: The lymphohematopoietic progenitors represent < 0.01% of nucleated marrow cells. Here, we describe the immortalization of the murine lymphohematopoietic progenitors by a retroviral vector harboring a dominant-negative retinoic acid receptor. The immortalized progenitors proliferate as a stem-cell-factor-dependent clonal line EML that spontaneously generates pre-pro-B lymphocytes and erythroid and myeloid progenitors. Upon stimulation with interleukin-7 and stromal cells, the pre-pro-B lymphocytes express RAG-1 and undergo D-J rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes. With erythropoietin the erythroid progenitors proliferate and differentiate into red cells. Generation of the common progenitors for neutrophils and macrophages is suppressed in EML but is inducible by high concentrations of retinoic acid. An additional block in neutrophil differentiation occurs at the promyelocyte stage but can also be overcome by high concentrations of retinoic acid. These studies demonstrate a reproducible way to immortalize lymphohematopoietic progenitors and implicate specific roles for retinoic acid receptors at two distinct stages of hematopoiesis.