Clonal proliferation of lymphoid and myeloid progenitor cells in patients with hematological abnormalities

Myeloid and lymphoid stem cell colony formation (GM-CFU) and L-CFU) was studied in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases, aplastic anemia and other hematological abnormalities. Most patients with acute lymphatic leukemia had low number of L-CFU with decreased or normal GM-CFU, while in Hodgkin's disease and chronic lymphatic leukemia L-CFU growth was very poor with only minor abnormalities of GM-CFU formation. Aplastic anemia was characterized by a decreased GM-CFU and normal L-CFU. Coculture studies suggested that a diminished colony formation may be linked to circulating lymphocytes that inhibit L-CFU as well as the reduction in number of precursor cells.