Growth factor requirements for normal and leukemic cells

Both normal bone marrow and leukemic progenitor cells require growth factors for their survival and proliferation. A variety of factors that affect the growth of these cells have been identified, but the complete repertoire of factors that are of relevance in vivo have yet to be established. These growth factors interact with specific cell surface proteins that then alter the internal milieu of the cell resulting in changes in proliferation and differentiation. Through an understanding of the receptor ligand interactions and the signal transduction pathways that are activated, it may be possible to design therapeutic strategies that interfere with the growth promoting signals in leukemic cells.