Cell surface antigen expression in human erythroid progenitors: erythroid and megakaryocytic markers

This review summarizes the changes in cell surface antigen expression during proliferation and differentiation of human erythroid progenitors. The content is based on our experimental data obtained from complement-mediated cytotoxicity assays against hematopoietic progenitors and a combined technique of sequential micromanipulations of paired daughter cells derived from erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) and immunostaining with a panel of monoclonal antibodies, as well as from current information. BFU-E has CD34, CD41a (platelet glycoprotein[GP]IIb/IIIa) and CD41b(GPIIb) antigens. Paired daughter cells derived from BFU-E have CD41a, CD41b, CD71 (transferrin receptor) and HLA-DR antigens, but not CD34 or CD33 antigen. The CD36 antigen (thrombospondin receptor or GPIV) is first expressed on the cells after 5 days of culture, in agreement with the report that the anti-CD36 positive fraction contained a greater part of the erythroid colony-forming units (CFU-E). The blood group A antigen is first expressed on cells from aggregates derived from BFU-E after 5 days of culture. Glycophorin A is expressed on cell surface after 7 days of culture when proerythroblasts first appear. Hemoglobin alpha is expressed after 8 days of culture and coincides with the first appearance of basophilic erythroblasts. This review provides useful information on the identification of leukemic cells from poorly differentiated acute leukemias such as early erythroblastic leukemia and acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, and is useful in the understanding of the commitment and differentiation of erythroid and megakaryocytic progenitors in normal hematopoiesis.