[Influence of stromal cells on the development of allogeneic bone marrow grafts]

The development of long-term in vitro marrow culture techniques has allowed in vitro characterization of the cellular composition and functional attributes of the human bone marrow stromal microenvironment. Interest in these studies has increased because the interactions between hematopoiesis and the microenvironment through direct cellular contact or production of inhibiting or stimulating factors are better known. The role of the microenvironment in bone marrow transplantation needs further study. The main points of interest are: the role of the host microenvironment in sustaining engraftment, the influence of marrow manipulations on the microenvironment of the donor marrow inoculum, the role of the microenvironment on the establishment of complete chimerism and in the host-donor interactions.