Blood, 1971, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 174-183.
© 1971 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
X-ray and Alkylating Agents Alter Differentiation
of Surviving Hematopoietic Stem Cells
SAMUEL HELLMAN 1 and
HELEN E. GRATE 1
1 Department of Radiation Therapy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
Repopulation assays indicate that erythrocyte differentiation is preferentially
impaired in the progeny of progenitor
cells surviving radiation or alkylating
agents. This was confirmed by study of
the iron incorporation into spleen colonies produced by survivors of such
treatments. These colonies were characterized by a reduced size and decreased radioactive iron incorporation.
Thus, it appears that radiation and alkylating agents not only affect survival
of stem cells, but also alter the differentation capacities of such surviving
cells.
Submitted on November 2, 1970
Revised on February 25, 1971
Accepted on March 23, 1971
