IN VITRO STUDIES ON CFU-E,BFU-E,CFU-G, CFU-GM AND CFU-F IN HUMAN UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD

By use of methylcellulose, agar semi-solid and suspension culture, CFU-E, BFU-E, CFU-G, CFU-GM, and CFU-F (fibroblast CFU) from human umbilical cord blood were cultured and from normal bone marrow and peripheral blood of adults as controls. The results revealed that numbers of CFU-E, BFU-E, CFU-G, CFU-GM were 8 ~10 times higher than that of adult peripheral blood and slightly lower than that of bone marrow. Number of CFU-G in the absence of G-CSF was significantly higher than that of adult bone marrow. Number of CFU-F in cord blood was lower about one tenth in comparision to bone marrow. A special type of cells was found in 1~3 weeks old CFU-F cluture and its origin and identity were unclear by cytomorphology and membrane surface marker staining by monoclonal antibody. Our study suggested that cord blood was rich in hematopoietic stem cells, which had many different features other than adult bone marrow and peripheral blood. Key words: Fetal blood; hematopoietic stem cells; cultrue.