Physical, phenotypic and cytochemical characterisation of stroma-adherent blast colony-forming cells

Primitive cells defined as long-term culture initiating cells (LTCIC) and blast colony-forming cells (Bl-CFC) bind to cultured stromal layers, but cells at later stages of maturation [granulocyte-erythroid-macrophage-monocyte colony-forming cells (GEMM-CFC) granulocyte-macrophage (CM-CFC) and erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E)] do not. The precise relationship between the LTCIC and Bl-CFC is not known and this study was undertaken to determine their relative positions in the haemopoietic hierarchy. We have defined the Bl-CFC population in terms of its density profile and antigenic phenotype and compared these characteristics with GM-CFC and BFU-E. The progenitor cell populations did not differ in density. The major phenotypic difference was seen using the myeloid monoclonal antibody S17-25 which reacted with fewer Bl-CFC than GM-CFC. Also, we have cytochemically analysed the cells in colonies derived from Bl-CFC. Our studies indicate that the Bl-CFC precede BFU-E and GM-CFC but not the LTCIC.