An autoradiographic and morphological study of mouse bone marrow littoral cells during and after treatment with...

This study demonstrates that the labeling index of mouse marrow littoral cells can be markedly altered as a result of treatment with ethyl carbamate (urethane). Young C57/BL mice were given daily intraperitoneal urethane injections for periods up to 6 days. Following treatment each day, as well as daily over a 10 day recovery period, a group of animals was administered tritiated thymidine every 3 hr over a 24 hr period and sacrificed 1/2 hr after the last injection. Marrow was embedded in epon and 0-5 mum sections cut for autoradiographic and light microscopic analysis. A thirty-five-fold increase in the percentage labeled littoral cells was observed after three injections of urethane. The labeling index of littoral cells fluctuated during the treatment period and during the 10 day recovery period. The albeling data are discussed in relation to the possible effects of urethane on the cell cycle of mouse marrow littoral cells; the morphological sequela to urethane treatment and the possibility that littoral cells may act as stem cells.