The clonal proliferation in vitro of enriched populations of human promyelocytes and myelocytes

The proliferative capacity of normal human promyelocytes and myelocytes was demonstrated and characterized on the basis of clonal proliferation in agar. An enriched population of normal human promyelocytes and myelocytes was obtained from bone marrow using the monoclonal antibody WEM G11 and the fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). In cultures stimulated by placental-conditioned medium, these cells generated peak total clone numbers between days 3 and 5 of culture. Clones disappeared rapidly thereafter. These clones were mainly of subcolony size at day 7, although some colonies were generated by this population. The clones were primarily neutrophilic in type. These cells had a plating efficiency of up to 50%, and clonal proliferation was dependent on stimulation by colony-stimulating factor (CSF).