Myeloid cell lines: tools for studying differentiation of normal and abnormal hematopoietic cells

Acute myeloid leukemia is caused by one or several transforming events which usually result in a block of myeloid precursor cell maturation. Human cell lines can serve as model for hematopoietic cells arrested at different stages of myeloid differentiation. These homogeneous populations help to dissect the cellular and molecular events involved in leukemogenesis, such as proto-oncogene activation. Furthermore, the efficacy and mechanism of action of compounds inducing differentiation of leukemic cells can be studied. Finally, these lines can permit the analysis of proliferation and differentiation of normal myeloid precursor cells.